Preterm babies are those born before 37 weeks of gestation. In preterm infants, delayed clamping leads to improved circulation, less need for blood transfusions and a lower incidence of serious complications, such as necrotizing enterocolitis, or inflammation of the digestive tract. Worldwide, some 13 million premature babies are born every year, and almost a million of them die within a month of birth. A low-cost, low-tech intervention like delayed cord clamping has the potential to save many lives. Many preterm babies in the United States are born by cesarean section and require resuscitation.

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Persons: Anna Lene Seidler, “, Seidler, Anup Katheria, Katheria Organizations: American College of Obstetricians, University of Sydney, National Center for Health Statistics, Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women Locations: Australia, Britain, India, Iran, United States, San Diego