We have talked about the two trends that are currently on the moment of cord clamping. Let's go deeper into the first one: the premature clamping. This is still done in most of our maternity homes without any scientific evidence of their need in all births. Are we going to be the only living being who can die if the cord is not gripped routinely?
In the history of ancient medical literature and in artistic representations we do not find this practice. The first mention of it seems to be made by the famous British naturalist and doctor Erasmus Darwin (1731-1832), grandfather of Charles Darwin, who strongly recommended that premature "clambing" cease to take place. In 1875, the French doctor, Pierre Budin published an article entitled "What is the right time to clamp the umbilical cord?".
The controversy persisted. In 1975 the prestigious medical journal "Pediatrics" published an article that pointed out that the issue remained unsolved. In spite of this, during the 70s and 80s the grip and early cutting extended as usual practice. The explanation given was that a late grip It could produce excess red blood cells in newborns, respiratory disorders and increased risk of bleeding for the mother. As I will explain there is no evidence that this is true.
