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Good neonatal news! A new medical device invented in Calgary will help babies born prematurely by allowing them to stay connected to the umbilical cord for longer.
Known as 'INSPIRE' (Integrated Neonatal Support with Placental Transfusion and Resuscitation), the portable device features blood oxygen monitors, oxygen tanks, resuscitation devices and a scale. It allows the baby to remain next to the mother longer than usual.
Studies have shown that delaying clamping by as little as 1-3 minutes leads to a reduction in the risk of bleeding in the baby's brain. It also affords more time for stem cells and nutrients like iron to be transferred from the placenta to the baby.
Until now, delaying clamping just wasn't an option for pre-term babies who needed immediate medical attention. With INSPIRE, babies can safely stay connected while getting vital medical attention.
In the neonatal world, INSPIRE could well be a game-changer.
Giving birth pre-term is a stressful and terrifying experience. Aside from the medical benefits, being able to stay with their baby for longer would certainly mean a world of difference for many parents.
“The process of delayed cord clamping allows babies to receive blood from their placentas at the time of birth," said medical director at of neonatology at Foothills, which developed INSPIRE, Dr. Sumesh Thomas.
"In clinical practice, babies that are the most vulnerable because they had to be delivered early are the one most unlikely to receive delayed cord clamping."
Since the pilot, the device has only been used half a dozen times, with positive outcomes.
Hopefully larger studies will follow, in time making this device widely available across the country and beyond.