Delivery Room Assistance With the Placental Circulation Intact

Preterm newborns receiving placental transfusion at birth (a volume of blood coming from the placenta towards the newborn till the cord is left unclamped) have better neonatal outcomes (in particular reduction of intraventricular hemorrhage all grade). The placental transfusion strategies performed in preterm babies at delivery have been delayed cord clamping and cord milking. Both experimental strategies do not explore the contribution of the start of breathing on placental transfusion, as performed in a small time frame (30-60 seconds for delayed clamping and less than 20 sec for cord milking). To assist the newborn bedside near to the delivering mother, leaving the cord unclamped, would allow to explore the contribution of breathing,both spontaneously started or assisted by initial steps in stabilization, on early postnatal adaptation. The purpose of the present study is to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of delivery room assistance with the placental circulation intact in comparison to cord milking for improving outcomes in very preterm newborns.