Outcomes of Neonates Born at or Above 36 Weeks of Gestation With Physiological Cord Clamping: A Prospective Analytical Study

Physiological intact cord management involves maintaining umbilical circulation until the newborn establishes spontaneous respiration and cardiorespiratory stability or until natural placental expulsion occurs. This practice allows continued placental transfusion and optimizing neonatal transition. Although delayed cord clamping is globally supported, limited data exist from Indian tertiary centers on immediate postnatal outcomes following this practice in late preterm and term neonates. This study aimed to evaluate heart rate and oxygen saturation at 5 minutes of life following physiological intact cord management, with secondary objectives of assessing hemoglobin and bilirubin at 72 hours. Preterm neonates or those with major congenital anomalies were excluded. A prospective observational study enrolled 118 neonates more than equal to 36 weeks gestation (both LSCS and NVD) at a tertiary care teaching hospital. Physiological intact cord management will be performed per standardized protocol. Heart rate and oxygen saturation will be measured at 5 minutes, hemoglobin and bilirubin were assessed at 72 hours. Data will be analyzed using SPSS version 26. Physiological intact cord management demonstrated superior cardiorespiratory and hematological outcomes while reducing the need for phototherapy compared to conventional clamping. Sustained placental transfusion likely supports improved neonatal transition. Physiological intact cord management enhances neonatal cardiorespiratory transition and hematological status without increasing jaundice risk, supporting its inclusion in standard perinatal care.