{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,3]],"date-time":"2026-09-03T12:21:43Z","timestamp":1788438103679,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":29,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,12]],"date-time":"2021-04-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1618185600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Pediatr."],"abstract":"<jats:p><jats:bold>Background:<\/jats:bold> Recently, the literature suggested that placental transfusion facilitated by delayed cord clamping (DCC), besides having benefits on hematological parameters, might improve the infants' brain development.<\/jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Objective:<\/jats:bold> The present review primarily evaluates the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) total score mean difference (MD) at long-term follow-up (\u22654 months) comparing DCC (&amp;gt;90 or &amp;gt;180 s) to early cord clamping (ECC). Secondary aims consisted of evaluating the ASQ domains' MD and the results obtained from other methods adopted to evaluate the infants' neurodevelopment.<\/jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Methods:<\/jats:bold> MEDLINE, Scopus, Cochrane, and <jats:ext-link>ClinicalTrials.gov<\/jats:ext-link> databases were searched (up to 2nd November 2020) for systematic review and meta-analysis. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of term singleton gestations received DCC or ECC. Multiple pregnancies, pre-term delivery, non-randomized studies, and articles in languages other than English were excluded. The included studies were assessed for bias and quality. ASQ data were pooled stratified by time to follow up.<\/jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Results:<\/jats:bold> This meta-analysis of 4 articles from 3 RCTs includes 765 infants with four-month follow-up and 672 with 12 months follow-up. Primary aim (ASQ total score) pooled analysis was possible only for 12 months follow-up, and no differences were found between DCC and ECC (MD 1.1; CI 95: \u22125.1; 7.3). DCC approach significantly improves infants' communication domains (MD 0.6; CI 95: 0.1; 1.1) and personal-social assessed (MD 1.0; CI 95: 0.3; 1.6) through ASQ at 12 months follow-up. Surprisingly, the four-month ASQ personal social domain (MD \u22121.6; CI 95: \u22122.8; \u22120.4) seems to be significantly lower in the DCC group than in the ECC group.<\/jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Conclusions:<\/jats:bold> DCC, a simple, non-interventional, and cost-effective approach, might improve the long-term infants' neurological outcome. Single-blinding and limited studies number were the main limitations. Further research should be performed to confirm these observations, ideally with RCTs adopting standard methods to assess infants' neurodevelopment.<\/jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Trial registration:<\/jats:bold> NCT01245296, NCT01581489, NCT02222805, NCT01620008, IRCT201702066807N19, and NCT02727517<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fped.2021.651410","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,12]],"date-time":"2021-04-12T04:35:43Z","timestamp":1618202143000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":10,"title":["Does Delayed Cord Clamping Improve Long-Term (\u22654 Months) Neurodevelopment in Term Babies? 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