title: A hospital policy change toward delayed cord clamping is effective in improving hemoglobin levels and anemia status of 8-month-old Peruvian infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effectiveness of a hospital policy change toward delayed cord clamping on infant hemoglobin (Hb) levels and anemia status at 4 and 8 months of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cohort of Peruvian mothers and infants, originating from a pre/post study investigating a change in hospital policy from early to delayed cord clamping, was followed until 8 months postpartum. Infant hemoglobin levels and anemia status were measured at 4 and 8 months postpartum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following the hospital policy change, adjusted mean infant Hb levels improved by 0.89 gdl(-1) [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.57-1.22] and anemia was significantly reduced (aOR = 0.38; 95% CI 0.19-0.78) at 8 months postpartum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A hospital policy change toward delayed cord clamping is effective in improving Hb levels and the anemia status of 8-month-old infants. Prior to scaling-up this intervention, issues related to training, monitoring, safety, additional long-term benefits and specific local conditions should be investigated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, McGill University, 1020 Pine Avenue West, Montréal, QC, Canada H3A 1A2. theresa.gyorkos@mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Theresa W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Gyorkos
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maheu-Giroux
authors.forename: Brittany
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Blouin
authors.forename: Hilary
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Creed-Kanashiro
authors.forename: Martín
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casapía
authors.forename: Eder
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aguilar
authors.forename: Hermánn
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Serene A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Penny
mesh_terms: D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000517:prevention & control; D000751:Anemia, Neonatal / Q000097:blood* / Q000517:prevention & control; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003250:Constriction; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D016134:Organizational Policy; D010568:Peru; D013997:Time Factors; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000098:blood supply*