Sammanfattning
BACKGROUND The timing and practice used for umbilical cord clamping of neonates are controversial internationally as well as in Norway. We therefore wished to investigate routines and practices for umbilical cord clamping of neonates in Norway.
MATERIAL AND METHOD A web-based questionnaire was sent to heads of departments of all maternity wards in Norway (n = 52). They were asked about their practice with regard to umbilical cord clamping and whether written routines had been prepared for this purpose. We defined early cord clamping as immediate or within 30 seconds and late clamping as = 1 minute or until pulsation in the umbilical cord had ceased.
RESULTS Fifty (96 %) of the maternity units returned a completed questionnaire. Twelve units (24 %) reported early clamping of the umbilical cord of term newborns delivered at term, and 38 (76 %) reported to practise late clamping. Nineteen maternity units (38 %) followed written routines for cord clamping of term neonates, and among these, early cord clamping was practised in nine (47 %). In the 31 maternity units that had no written routines, early cord clamping was practised in three (10 %). Twenty-seven of the maternity units reported that the child is placed on the maternal abdomen prior to clamping the cord, 14 reported that the child commonly is held below the introitus prior to cord clamping, and the rest did not report any consistent practice.
INTERPRETATION There is wide variation in the practice for umbilical cord clamping in Norwegian maternity units, many of which have no written guidelines. We argue that national guidelines for umbilical cord clamping of neonates should be established.