Placental Transfusion, Timing of Plastic Wrap or Bag Placement, and Preterm Neonates.

Objective: Compare delivery room practices and outcomes of infants born at less than 32 weeks' gestation or less than 1,500 g who have plastic wrap/bag placement simultaneously during placental transfusion to those receiving plastic wrap/bag placement sequentially following placental transfusion.

Study Design: Retrospective analysis of data from a multisite quality improvement initiative to refine stabilization procedures pertaining to placental transfusion and thermoregulation using a plastic wrap/bag. Delivery room practices and outcome data in 590 total cases receiving placental transfusion were controlled for propensity score matching and hospital of birth.

Results: The simultaneous and sequential groups were similar in demographic and most outcome metrics. The simultaneous group had longer duration of delayed cord clamping compared with the sequential group (42.3 ± 14.8 vs. 34.1 ± 10.3 seconds,  < 0.001), and fewer number of times cord milking was performed (0.41 ± 1.26 vs. 0.86 ± 1.92 seconds,  < 0.001). The time to initiate respiratory support was also significantly shorter in the simultaneous group (97.2 ± 100.6 vs. 125.2 ± 177.6 seconds,  = 0.02). The combined outcome of death or necrotizing enterocolitis in the simultaneous group was more frequent than in the sequential group (15.3 vs. 9.3%,  = 0.038); all other outcomes measured were similar.

Conclusion: Timing of plastic wrap/bag placement during placental transfusion did affect duration of delayed cord clamping, number of times cord milking was performed, and time to initiate respiratory support in the delivery room but did not alter birth hospital outcomes or respiratory care practices other than the combined outcome of death or necrotizing enterocolitis.

Key Points: · Plastic bag placement during placental transfusion is effective in stabilization of preterms.. · Plastic bag placement after placental transfusion is effective in stabilization of preterms.. · Plastic bag placement during placental transfusion and risk of death or necrotizing enterocolitis needs additional study..