Developmental Delays – Anemia is reduced by 50%!

6% of infants are born with Neonatal Iron deficiency Anemia (source)

The missing Iron rich blood can never be made up for with breast milk or iron supplements. ADHD & anxiety disorders are linked to iron deficiency. Iron-deficient infants are prone to motor, behavioral, and cognitive developmental delays.

In a 2015 Swedish study of 263 healthy newborns: (source)

• 50% were clamped after 3 minutes, the remaining after only 10 seconds.
• Babies who were delayed 3 minutes in clamping scored higher in fine motor and social skills!

What is Anemia?

Anemia is when you have a lower than usual count of hemoglobin, which are the red blood cells in your body. “Blood loss is the most common cause of anemia, especially iron-deficiency anemia. Blood loss can be short term or persist over time. Heavy menstrual periods or bleeding in the digestive or urinary tract can cause blood loss. Surgery, trauma, or cancer also can cause blood loss.”, states the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Anemia can be treated by supplements,  iron vitamins and blood transfusion.

Babies get 4 to 6 months Supply of Iron! (source: WHO, Swedish Study)

How does delayed cord clamping help prevent anemia? The WHO states that, “Delaying cord clamping allows blood flow between the placenta and neonate to continue, which may improve iron status in the infant for up to six months after birth.” The blood in the umbilical cord has iron that will help if the infant has iron deficiency and you delay the cord clamping the iron-rich blood that’s in the placenta will go to the baby and help it. The umbilical cord blood can delay anemia for up to 4 to 6 months if the cord is attached until it is white. If the umbilical cord has kept the infant alive for nine months in the womb then it could help the infant by giving it more blood so it does not have anemia.