Delayed clamping of the umbilical cord could lead to better motor and social skills later in life.
Waiting to clamp the umbilical cord has also been linked to a reduced risk of iron deficiency, which is a global health problem among elementary school children, the JAMA Network Journals reported.
Delaying umbilical cord clamping by two to three minutes after delivery allows fetal blood from the placenta to be circulated back into the baby. The researchers assessed 263 children around the age of four using IQ tests and also looked at development and behavior using other assessments and questionnaires.
The researchers found no difference in IQ between children who had delayed cord clamping (at least three minutes after delivery) and immediate cord clamping. The proportion of children with immature pencil grips was lower in the delayed clamping group, and these children also tended to have higher scores in personal-social and fine-motor skill assessments. The average assessment score for girls was the same in both groups, but boys who had delayed cord clamping performed higher in "fine-motor function and personal-social domains."
"Delaying CC [cord clamping] for three minutes after delivery resulted in similar overall neurodevelopment and behavior among 4-year-old children compared with early CC. However, we did find higher scores for parent-reported prosocial behavior as well as personal-social and fine-motor development at 4 years, particularly in boys," the researchers said in the study.
The findings were published in a recent edition of the journal JAMA Pediatrics.
