Table 4.27. Placental transfusion.

Placenta contains 125 ml blood, 33% of total blood volume.
75 ml/kg is transferred to infant during 1st 30 sec. postdelivery.
If fetal Blood Volume was adequate in utero, why not afterward? Why should placental B.V. be added? To fill expanding lungs?
May be used to correct fetal anemia; volume load could overload the cardiovascular system.
Requires: gravity, external mechanical force (milking), uterine contraction.
Blood volume peaks, plasma and water redistribute to extravascular space, resulting in reduced blood volume and hemoconcentration.
Normally Blood Volume = 85 - 100 ml/kg one hr. after birth, plasma vol. = 45 - 50 ml/kg.
By 4 hours post-birth plasma & Blood Volume decrease by as much as 20% & 10%, respectively, if cord clamped late; Blood Volume decreases 2 - 5% if clamped early.
May result in: capillary engorgement, transudation of plasma, tachycardia, tachypnea, increase stroke volume, hyperbilirubinemia, hyperviscosity syndrome, neonatal heart failure, lower lung compliance, increase urine flow.