Focussing her research on umbilical cords, Ms. Burleigh established that guidelines, which promoted the immediate cutting of the cord, were put in place to ensure that the hormone injection given to the mother to prevent haemorrhaging did not affect the infant.
However, since the introduction of a new and safer drug, the need to immediately cut the umbilical cord following childbirth has lessened.
Delving further still into the issue, Ms. Burleigh’s findings subsequently revealed that cutting the cord too early could have detrimental effects on the infant which included cognitive learning delays and a risk of iron deficiency anaemia.
Commenting on her findings, the midwife asserted: "I couldn't sit back and ignore what I had seen when it became visible to me. “
Despite receiving criticism from the medical community, Ms. Burleigh is adamant that waiting for up to five minutes or longer following the child’s delivery is the best protocol, saying: “I think we'll look back in years to come and realise that immediate cord clamping was not a good idea.”
Research has established that babies who experienced delayed cord clamping had healthier blood and iron levels at 3 and 6 months after the birth while it has also been established that delayed cord clamping was associated with an increased risk of requiring treatment for jaundice.
