Objective: The study aimed to assess the practice of delayed cord clamping (DCC) and the awareness of its benefits for newborns between Obstetric (OB) and neonatal physicians. We examined if provider characteristics including years of experience, level of training, familiarity of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)/American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations, institutional policy, and the racial and ethnic background of patient population were associated with implementation of DCC.
Study design: This research is a cross-sectional online questionnaire study.
Results: 975 questionnaires were returned. Overall, the awareness of ACOG versus AAP recommendations was 94 versus 86% (p < 0.01). 86 versus 78% of OB and neonatal physicians practiced or witnessed DCC >50% of the time, respectively (p < 0.01). An equal number of OB and neonatal physicians believed in the benefits to newborns of DCC. Physicians with >10 years of practice were less likely to acknowledge DCC benefits. Physicians with a majority of non-White patients were less likely to practice/witness DCC (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: There continues to be room for improvement in the practice of DCC. Institutional policies and awareness of ACOG/AAP recommendations impact the understanding of the benefits of DCC and the likelihood of the practice. There is a significant difference in the practice of DCC among patients with different racial backgrounds. Hospital leadership may consider investing in the education and implementation of updated guidelines to ensure DCC is routinely practiced.
Key points: · Knowledge of AAP/ACOG and institutional policies improved the practice of DCC.. · There is racial disparity in the practice of DCC.. · Physicians in practice for >10 years were less likely to know the benefits of DCC to full-term neonates..
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