title: Neonatal transitional physiology: a new paradigm.
abstract: Early clamping of the umbilical cord at birth, a practice developed without adequate evidence, causes neonatal blood volume to vary 25% to 40%. Such a massive change occurs at no other time in one's life without serious consequences, even death. Early cord clamping may impede a successful transition and contribute to hypovolemic and hypoxic damage in vulnerable newborns. The authors present a model for neonatal transition based on and driven by adequate blood volume rather than by respiratory effort to demonstrate how neonatal transition most likely occurs at a normal physiologic birth.
authors.affiliation: University of Rhode Island, Kingston, USA.
authors.forename: Judith S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Mercer
authors.forename: Rebecca L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Skovgaard
mesh_terms: D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D021041:Placental Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012119:Respiration; D013997:Time Factors; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000098:blood supply*