Umbilical cord milking in preterm neonates requiring resuscitation: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of cord milking on short term morbidity and hematologic parameters at 6 weeks in preterm neonates requiring resuscitation.

METHODS: This trial randomized preterm infants requiring resuscitation to milking group and no milking group. Multiple pregnancy, Rh negative mothers, hydrops, cord abnormalities were excluded. The primary outcome was hemoglobin and serum ferritin at 6 weeks of life. Secondary outcomes were common preterm morbidities and mortality.

RESULTS: 60 neonates were included in the study. Infants in the milking group had higher hemoglobin (10.07 g/dl vs 8.9 g/dl; p 0.003) and higher serum ferritin level (244.8 ng/ml vs 148.5 ng/ml; p 0.04) compared to no milking group.

CONCLUSIONS: In preterm neonates requiring resuscitation, umbilical cord milking results in higher hemoglobin and ferritin at 6 weeks of life. It can be a used as a placental transfusion strategy in preterm neonates requiring resuscitation with no significant adverse effects.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical trials registry -India CTRI/2015/01/005436, www.ctri.nic.in.