Delayed cord clamping is defined as waiting until blood is no longer pulsing before clamping and cutting the umbilical cord. Typical duration?

• A. 30-60 Minutes
• B. 1-2 Minutes
• C. 10-30 Minutes
• D. 3-5 Minutes

Answer: (C)

Delaying cord clamping in this sense means keeping the cord unclamped long enough for placental transfusion to finish, which is tied to how long the umbilical cord continues to pulse as blood moves from the placenta to the baby. When the goal is to wait until there is no more pulsation, the cord may continue to pulse for several minutes as the placental circulation shifts and then ceases, and a typical window reported for this cessation falls around 10 to 30 minutes. The other durations are either far too short to allow pulsations to stop or impractical to wait for such a long time. So, the 10-30 minute range best fits the idea of waiting until the cord is no longer pulsing.