A path-breaking research study was recently carried out in Shrimad Rajchandra Hospital, one of the two centres across India, selected for conducting this research. The study explored a technique known as ‘physiological cord clamping’, which involves delaying the severing of the umbilical cord until natural delivery of the placenta. This is contrary to the currently prevailing global practice of cutting the umbilical cord within a few minutes of delivery and forcing out the placenta with medical assistance.

The study showed that when this technique is combined with immediate skin-to-skin contact between the infant and mother, and allowing the infant to suckle the mother as soon as possible, several significant benefits are noticed. The benefits include higher blood oxygen saturation levels and a slower and gradual rise in heart rate, resulting in a smoother cardiopulmonary transition for the newborn baby. The results of the study were also published in the prestigious American Journal of Perinatology. The Department of Health and Family Welfare, Gujarat has now advised all government hospitals and centres to adopt this method of delivery. Additionally, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India released an advisory requesting all states to implement this key intervention.

Shrimad Rajchandra Hospital continues to be at the cutting edge of medical innovations for serving the rural population.