Infants' blood volume in a controlled trial of placental transfusion at preterm delivery.

Objective: To investigate whether it was possible to promote placental blood transfer to infants at preterm delivery by (1) delaying cord clamping, (2) holding the infant below the placenta, and (3) administering an oxytocic agent to the mother, we measured the infants' blood volumes.

Design: Randomized study.

Methods: Forty-six preterm infants (gestational age: 24[0/7] to 32[6/7] weeks) were assigned randomly to either placental blood transfer promotion (delayed cord clamping [DCC] group, ie, > or =30 seconds from moment of delivery) or early cord clamping (ECC) with conventional management (ECC group).