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Umbilical cord clamping and management of the third stage of labor : A telephone-survey describing Swedish midwives’ clinical practice

Isacson, Manuela LU ; Thies-Lagergren, Li LU orcid ; Oras, Paola ; Hellström-Westas, Lena LU and Andersson, Ola LU orcid (2022) In European Journal of Midwifery 6(February).
Abstract
Introduction:
The timing of cord clamping impacts children’s short- and longterm well-being. When making clinical decisions, midwives incorporate their tacit and professional knowledge, experience and current evidence. There appears to be a lack of knowledge regarding Swedish midwives’ management of the third stage of labor and cord clamping practice. The aim of this study was to explore Swedish midwives’ clinical practice concerning umbilical cord clamping and the third stage of labor in spontaneous vaginal births.

Methods:
The study was designed as a cross-sectional telephone survey including 13 questions. Midwives were randomly selected from 48 births units in Sweden. Two midwives from each unit were interviewed. The... (More)
Introduction:
The timing of cord clamping impacts children’s short- and longterm well-being. When making clinical decisions, midwives incorporate their tacit and professional knowledge, experience and current evidence. There appears to be a lack of knowledge regarding Swedish midwives’ management of the third stage of labor and cord clamping practice. The aim of this study was to explore Swedish midwives’ clinical practice concerning umbilical cord clamping and the third stage of labor in spontaneous vaginal births.

Methods:
The study was designed as a cross-sectional telephone survey including 13 questions. Midwives were randomly selected from 48 births units in Sweden. Two midwives from each unit were interviewed. The primary outcome was timing of umbilical cord clamping practice in full-term infants. Secondary outcomes were the management of the third stage of labor including prophylactic use of synthetic oxytocin, the timing of cord clamping in preterm infants, controlled cord traction, uterine massage, and cord milking.

Results:
Altogether, 95 midwives were interviewed. In full-term infants, all midwives preferred late cord clamping. Considerable heterogeneity was seen regarding the practices of synthetic oxytocin administration postpartum, controlled cord traction, uterine massage or cord milking, and cord clamping in preterm infants.

Conclusions:
Midwives in Sweden modify recommendations regarding delayed cord clamping in a way they might perceive as more natural and practical in their daily, clinical work. The study revealed a reluctance toward the administration of prophylactic oxytocin due to fear that the drug could pass to the infant. An overall large variation of the management of the third stage of labor was seen. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
European Journal of Midwifery
volume
6
issue
February
article number
6
publisher
European Publishing
external identifiers
  • scopus:85125269830
  • pmid:35274089
ISSN
2585-2906
DOI
10.18332/ejm/145697
project
Cord clamping when infants in need of resuscitation are born - neurodevelopmental outcomes and other perspectives
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
29bd0719-ffb8-4584-a801-08e90737e336
date added to LUP
2022-02-23 14:33:05
date last changed
2024-06-13 11:05:29
@article{29bd0719-ffb8-4584-a801-08e90737e336,
  abstract     = {{Introduction:<br/>The timing of cord clamping impacts children’s short- and longterm well-being. When making clinical decisions, midwives incorporate their tacit and professional knowledge, experience and current evidence. There appears to be a lack of knowledge regarding Swedish midwives’ management of the third stage of labor and cord clamping practice. The aim of this study was to explore Swedish midwives’ clinical practice concerning umbilical cord clamping and the third stage of labor in spontaneous vaginal births.<br/><br/>Methods:<br/>The study was designed as a cross-sectional telephone survey including 13 questions. Midwives were randomly selected from 48 births units in Sweden. Two midwives from each unit were interviewed. The primary outcome was timing of umbilical cord clamping practice in full-term infants. Secondary outcomes were the management of the third stage of labor including prophylactic use of synthetic oxytocin, the timing of cord clamping in preterm infants, controlled cord traction, uterine massage, and cord milking.<br/><br/>Results:<br/>Altogether, 95 midwives were interviewed. In full-term infants, all midwives preferred late cord clamping. Considerable heterogeneity was seen regarding the practices of synthetic oxytocin administration postpartum, controlled cord traction, uterine massage or cord milking, and cord clamping in preterm infants.<br/><br/>Conclusions:<br/>Midwives in Sweden modify recommendations regarding delayed cord clamping in a way they might perceive as more natural and practical in their daily, clinical work. The study revealed a reluctance toward the administration of prophylactic oxytocin due to fear that the drug could pass to the infant. An overall large variation of the management of the third stage of labor was seen.}},
  author       = {{Isacson, Manuela and Thies-Lagergren, Li and Oras, Paola and Hellström-Westas, Lena and Andersson, Ola}},
  issn         = {{2585-2906}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{February}},
  publisher    = {{European Publishing}},
  series       = {{European Journal of Midwifery}},
  title        = {{Umbilical cord clamping and management of the third stage of labor : A telephone-survey describing Swedish midwives’ clinical practice}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.18332/ejm/145697}},
  doi          = {{10.18332/ejm/145697}},
  volume       = {{6}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}