Opening the maternal cord clamp to speed placental delivery and reduce postpartum bleeding

The Effect of Placental Cord Drainage on the Third Stage of Labor and the Amount of Postpartum Bleeding

This test will see if opening the clamp on the mother's end of the cut umbilical cord helps the placenta come out sooner and reduces bleeding in low-risk, full-term women after a vaginal birth.

Quick facts

• Phase: Not applicable
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 80 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years to 35 Years
• Sex: Female
• Sponsor: Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi Gulhane Tip Fakultesi (Academic / other)
• Locations: 1 site (Zonguldak, Zonguldak/Centre)
• Trial ID: NCT07279545 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

After the baby is born and the umbilical cord is clamped and cut, the clamp on the maternal end is opened to allow blood to drain from the placenta; timing of placental delivery and blood loss are then measured. The study compares outcomes including duration of the third stage of labor, blood loss during the third stage, bleeding in the first two hours after birth, and postpartum complications. Eligible participants are low‑risk, Turkish‑speaking women at 37–41 weeks with a vertex presentation and no maternal or fetal complications; women with prior postpartum hemorrhage, anemia, anticoagulant use, smoking, or short birth intervals are excluded. Data are collected in a hospital setting at the time of delivery to capture immediate bleeding and clinical events.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are low‑risk, Turkish‑speaking pregnant women at 37–41 weeks with vertex presentation planning a vaginal birth, who have no maternal or fetal complications, normal hemoglobin/hematocrit, are not on anticoagulants or smoking, and report low pain at enrollment.

Not a fit: Women with high‑risk pregnancies, a history of postpartum hemorrhage, anemia, anticoagulant use, active smoking, non‑vertex presentation, or who cannot deliver at the study hospital are unlikely to benefit or be eligible.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this simple maneuver could shorten the third stage of labor and reduce postpartum blood loss, lowering the risk of hemorrhage.

How similar studies have performed: Some prior studies and reviews suggest placental cord drainage can shorten the third stage and modestly reduce blood loss, but results have been mixed and it is not uniformly adopted.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* No problem speaking and understanding Turkish
* Low-risk pregnant women
* Vertex presentation
* 37-41st weeks of gestation
* There are no complications in the mother or the baby that prevent normal birth.
* The VAS score for the pain felt by the pregnant woman at the time of admission to the study must be less than 3 (to show that the pregnant women were accepted into the study at a time when their pain was at its lowest and their decision-making ability was at a relatively good level)

Exclusion Criteria:

* History of postpartum hemorrhage
* History of postpartum hemorrhage in mother or sister
* Birth interval less than 2 years
* Anticoagulant use during pregnancy
* Smoking during pregnancy
* Those with low Hb values (Hb\<11gr/dL)
* Hematocrit \<30

Where this trial is running

Zonguldak, Zonguldak/Centre

• Zonguldak Maternity and Child Diseases Hospital — Zonguldak, Zonguldak/Centre, Turkey (Türkiye) (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Ferhat TÜFEKÇİ, Spc. Dr. — Zonguldak Maternity and Child Diseases Hospital
• Study coordinator: Sinem GÜLTEKİN, Phd

Conditions Postpartum Hemorrhage; active management; third stage of labor; placental cord drainage; postpartum hemorrhage