ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo study the effects of placental transfusion of umbilical cord milking on very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. Methods Fifty-seven VLBW infants born from September 2011 to May 2014 who had umbilical cord milking at birth were selected as experimental group. Sixty-one VLBW infants born from January 2008 to August 2011 who had normal cord clamping at birth were selected as control group. The complications of VLBW infants, blood transfusion, frequency of using pulmonary surfactant (PS), the duration of mechanical ventilation, the duration of oxygen and mortality were compared between two groups.Results The incidence of severe asphyxia, IVH and anemia was signiifcantly lower in experimental group than in control group (P< 0.05). The blood transfusion and transfusion volume, duration of mechanical ventilation, and duration of oxy-gen were signiifcantly lower in experimental group than in control group (P< 0.05).Conclusions Umbilical cord milking can reduce the incidence of severe asphyxia, IVH and anemia. It also can reduce the blood transfusion, the duration of mechanical ventilation, and the duration of oxygen in VLBW infants.