Effects of Umbilical Cord Clamping Time After Birth on Risk of Postpartum Depression

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: To assess the effects of umbilical cord clamping time on risk of postpartum depression. METHODS: The study included pregnant cases giving birth after 36 weeks from 24 January 2020 to 01 April 2020 in our clinic. Those with previous depression history, chronic disease, multiple pregnancy, puerperant women with impaired hemodynamics after birth, and neonates with poor Apgar score after birth or who required resuscitation were not included. The postpartum umbilical cord clamping time was classified according to the World Health Organization as late 1 minute or more and early under 1 minute. Patients were evaluated in two groups according to this grouping. During the follow-up examination performed in the postpartum 1 month, the risks in terms of postpartum depression were evaluated with the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale given to the patients in the outpatient clinic. RESULTS: The study included 176 pregnant cases with birth after 36 weeks. Both groups were not observed to be different in terms of sociodemographic characteristics, obstetric history and birth information (p≥0,05). In both groups, mean EPDS points were identified as 11.07+-1.97 in the late clamping group and 13.23+-1.61 in the early clamping group and this was statistically significant (OR=6.36; p<0.001). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: With our study results, we identified that cases with late clamping of the umbilical cord had lower risk of postpartum depression

Keywords

• depression
• postpartum
• delivery
• obstetric
• umbilical cord