ACOG recommends in both term and preterm infants that the clamping of the cord is delayed by at least thirty to sixty seconds. They also assert that the concern for increased risk of PPH is unwarranted.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says the cord should not be clamped earlier than is absolutely necessary. This usually means delaying the cord by three minutes. They emphasize not clamping the cord earlier than one minute, except in the case of necessary infant resuscitation that cannot be done with the cord intact.

The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) recommends delaying cord clamping by at least two to five minutes following birth. Typically, the cord stops pulsating by five minutes.