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Table 4 Midwives and obstetricians definitions of early and late cord clamping

From: Care during the third stage of labour: A postal survey of UK midwives and obstetricians

 

Midwives

n = 1297 (%)

Obstetricians n = 926 (%)

 

term

preterm

term

preterm

How would you define early clamping?

        

after 1-10 seconds

362

(28)

395

(30)

359

(39)

301

(33)

   11-20 seconds

118

(9)

98

(8)

108

(12)

119

(13)

   21-30 seconds

212

(16)

187

(14)

177

(17)

187

(20)

   31-60 seconds

245

(19)

156

(12)

136

(19)

153

(17)

   1-5 minutes

69

(5)

5

(< 1)

15

(2)

21

(2)

   > 5 minutes

12

(1)

29

(2)

5

(< 1)

4

(< 1)

other

*34

(3)

**43

(3)

-

-

-

-

no response

245

(19)

384

(30)

126

(14)

141

(15)

How would you define late clamping?

        

after 1-30 seconds

17

(1)

68

(5)

90

(10)

89

(10)

   31-60 seconds

59

(5)

124

(10)

199

(21)

194

(21)

   1-2 minutes

42

(3)

72

(6)

100

(11)

126

(14)

   2-3 minutes

41

(3)

8

(< 1)

16

(2)

19

(2)

   3-5 minutes

40

(3)

67

(5)

24

(2)

34

(4)

   > 5 minutes

49

(4)

24

(2)

15

(2)

10

(1)

After cessation of pulsation

895

(69)

508

(39)

356

(38)

309

(33)

other

6

(< 1)

††11

(1)

-

-

-

-

no response

148

(11)

415

(31)

126

(14)

145

(16)

  1. * after cessation n = 1, after cessation of pulsation and variable n = 33
  2. ** before delivery of placenta n = 2, not applicable for preterm births n = 32, varies n = 9
  3. varies n = 5, before delivery of placenta n = 1.
  4. †† varies n = 10, after delivery of placenta n = 1