Timing of cord clamp could save lungs in rare birth defect

NCT ID NCT04373902

Ongoing Disease control Sponsor: Erasmus Medical Center Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026

Summary

This study tests whether waiting to clamp the umbilical cord until after the baby's lungs have filled with air can reduce dangerous lung blood pressure (pulmonary hypertension) in newborns with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). About 140 infants with left-sided CDH will be randomly assigned to either immediate cord clamping or delayed clamping using a special trolley. The goal is to see if this simple timing change lowers the chance of severe lung problems in the first day of life.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Physiological-based cord clamping (PBCC) procedure
What this could lead to: If it works, this simple change in how the umbilical cord is clamped could lower the risk of severe lung blood pressure problems in these fragile newborns.
What could go wrong: This is a relatively small, early-stage trial (140 infants). The procedure requires special equipment and may not be feasible in all delivery settings. Benefits seen in animal models may not translate to humans.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Congenital Abnormalities congenital diaphragmatic hernia Hernia, Diaphragmatic pulmonary hypertension

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

HERNIA; DIAPHRAGM DEFECT, CONGENITAL HERNIAS, DIAPHRAGMATIC, CONGENITAL PULMONARY HYPERTENSION

Contacts and locations

Locations

Erasmus MC University Medical Center - Sophia Children's Hospital

Rotterdam, Netherlands
Karolinska University Hospital

Stockholm, Sweden
Medical University Graz

Graz, Austria
Monash University

Melbourne, Australia
Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesu

Rome, Italy
Radboudumc University Medical Center

Nijmegen, Netherlands
University Hospitals leuven

Leuven, Belgium
Universitätsklinik Mannheim

Mannheim, Germany
Universitätskrankenhaus Bonn

Bonn, Germany

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