Newborn getting heart screening in hospital

Clinical trial: milking or delayed cord clamping

Clinical trial: Premature milking or delayed cord clamping (PREMOD)

Primary investigator: Dr. Anup Katheria

Research coordinators: Kathy Arnell, Deborah Petruzzelli, Wade Rich

About this trial

Premature babies can be very sick and have bleeding in the brain. Giving babies more blood before cutting the umbilical cord by delayed cord clamping or umbilical cord milking has been shown to reduce the risk of bleeding in the brain. This may be related to improving perfusion to the brain. However, delayed cord clamping may not be as beneficial when delivered by cesarean section. Milking the umbilical cord may give babies more blood when delivered by cesarean section.

Benefits of delayed clamping include:

  • Decreased incidence of bleeding in the brain in preterm infants

  • Increased blood volume

  • Lower incidence of anemia

  • Reduced need for blood transfusion

Our hypothesis is that umbilical cord milking will:

  • Decrease death or brain injury

  • Decrease death or long-term disabilities

To learn more about this study, visit ClinicalTrials.gov.

Learn more

For more information about the Neonatal Research Institute or to learn more about our clinical trials, send us an email or call 858-939-4112.