Effect of timing of umbilical cord clamp on newborns' iron status and its relation to delivery type.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to evaluate the hematological effects of umbilical cord clamp timing and delivery type in term infants 48 hours after birth in Imam Hossein Hospital, Tehran, Iran. METHOD: From Oct 2007 - March 2008, 100 mother-infant eligible pairs were selected and divided by cord clamp timing (< or =15 s and >15 s) for hematologic value determination between the two groups. Data analysis was performed with SPSS for Windows statistical package (version 13). RESULTS: Maternal hematological status was assessed upon admission to the delivery room. A total of 100 mother-infant pairs were divided into two groups: delayed cord clamp time within 15 s (n=70) or early cord clamp time [15 s after delivery (n=30)]. The groups had similar demographic and biomedical characteristics at baseline. Forty-eight hours after delivery the mean infant hemoglobin (Hgb; 16.08 gm/dL vs. 14.5 gm/dL; P<0.001) and hematocrit (Hct 47.6 vs. 42.8; P<0.001) levels were significantly higher in the delayed clamping group. There was no significant difference in ferritin levels (214.7 vs. 173.6 ng/dL; P=0.08). Fifty infants were born vaginally and 50 were delivered by cesarean section. Infants delivered vaginally had significantly more delayed cord clamp times (>15 s; P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Delaying cord clamping increases the red cell mass in term infants. It is a safe, simple and low cost delivery procedure that should be incorporated in integrated programs that are aimed at reducing iron deficiency anemia in infants in developing countries. Vaginal delivery facilitates this action.

Diagnostic value of fingerprint patterns: an explorative study on beta-thalassemia diagnosis.

Rapid diagnosis of major beta thalassemia along with certain preventive measures is of utmost significance. The present study aims to compare the fingerprints in Major beta thalassemic patients (67) and in their parents (76 with minor thalassemia) with the normal fingerprints of control group (144). A forensic medical examiner determined fingerprint types of arch, loop, whorl and other types. Like normal individuals, loop fingerprint pattern was found to be the most common fingerprint type among thalassemic patients. However, the number of whorl fingerprints in all fingers in thalassemic patients was greater than that of normal individuals and the number of loop fingerprints was smaller (p < 0.05). Arch type fingerprint pattern was less frequent in major thalassemic patients compared to minor thalassemic ones (p < 0.05). The findings show that the number of whorl fingerprint patterns in thalassemic patients was greater than that of normal individuals, while the number of loop fingerprint patterns being smaller and the frequency of arch fingerprint pattern in patients with major thalassemia was lower than that of minor thalassemic patients. Therefore, one may choose fingerprint pattern as a simple, affordable and appropriate screening method to help detect the afflicted patients and prevent severe cases of thalassemia.