Randomised trial of cord clamping and initial stabilisation at very preterm birth.

Objectives: For very preterm births, to compare alternative policies for umbilical cord clamping and immediate neonatal care.

Design: Parallel group randomised (1:1) trial, using sealed opaque numbered envelopes.

Setting: Eight UK tertiary maternity units.

Fifteen-minute consultation: stabilisation of the high-risk newborn infant beside the mother.

Paediatric and adult resuscitation is often performed with family present. Current guidelines recommend deferred umbilical cord clamping as part of immediate neonatal care, requiring neonatal assessment next to the mother. This paper describes strategies for providing care beside the mother using both standard resuscitation equipment and a trolley designed for this purpose.