PLACENTAL TRANSFUSION IN THE PREMATURE INFANT WITH OBSERVATION ON CLINICAL COURSE AND OUTCOME

Abstract

Summary Blood volume was measured in 73 truly premature and 10 “small for date” term infants following early or late cord clamping at birth. Forty‐five normal full term infants from a previous study were included for comparison. The results demonstrated that placental transfusion occurred if cord clamping was delayed. The amount of placental transfusion in terms of red cell volume per kg b.w. in the premature infants under 2001 g was less compared to that of both normal full term infants and premature infants above 2001 g. The clinical course showed high incidence and mortality from respiratory distress in premature infants under 2001 g. An interesting observation was the apparently higher mortality resulting from idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome in the late‐clamped group weighing under 2001 g.