The Division of Neonatology is participating in this multcenter trial to determine whether assisted breathing during delayed cord clamping in extremely preterm infants can reduce the incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain). The study sponsor is the National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), a branch of the National Institutes of Health.

Why is this study being done?

Bleeding in the brain, or intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), occurs in about one-third of extremely premature babies (born before 29 weeks of gestation). If IVH is severe, it may be associated with developmental and learning disabilities. A delay in clamping the umbilical cord of an extremely premature baby for at least 30 seconds may be beneficial because the baby gets extra red bloods cells from the placenta during that time. Experimental evidence (in premature animals) shows that assisting breathing before clamping the umbilical cord may be beneficial by preventing rapid changes in blood pressure, which might reduce the risk of IVH. 

The purpose of this study is:

• To determine whether infants who receive assisted breathing for 120 seconds before umbilical cord clamping have a lower incidence of IVH than infants who receive the current standard of 30-60 seconds of delayed clamping, followed by assisted breathing.
  
• To assess whether infants who receive assisted breathing before cord clamping have lower rates of other common complications of prematurity.
  

Who may be eligible to participate?

A pregnant woman who is admitted to Labor and Delivery or the Mother Baby Unit at OHSU and who may deliver a baby between 23^0/7 and 28^6/7 weeks gestation may give consent to enroll herself and her baby in the study. 

Who do I contact for more information?

To find out more information and to learn if you are qualified to participate, e-mail the OHSU Principal Investigator, Dr. Jamie Warren, at warrenja@ohsu.edu. 

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