Many obstetricians unfortunately practice premature cord clamping in the delivery room which can directly impact a newborn’s mental and physical development. Each umbilical cord includes three main vessels: two arteries and one vein. If these are cut prematurely, the infant can actually experience a blood loss of up to one-third of their original blood volume. Delayed cord cutting has the ability to promote adequate iron levels due to saving the blood that would otherwise be lost through the premature cutting of the cord.

Key Takeaways:

• Many are unaware that the umbilical cord actually has three vessels: one vein and two arteries.
• When infants undergo delayed cord clamping, they often have improved iron levels which leads to better mental and physical development.
• When the cord is clamped too early, newborns can experience the loss of one-third of their blood supply.

“The waste products travel through the arteries, filter through the placenta, into you, and then you get rid of it. The reverse is true for the vein. The vein brings nutrients and oxygen-rich blood to the baby from your system.”

Read more: https://www.scarymommy.com/benefits-delayed-cord-clamping/