To assess the effect of placental transfusion by delayed cord clamping (DCC) of 60 s or cord milking (CM) on serum ferritin levels at hospital discharge and 3 mo of postmenstrual age (PMA) in preterm neonates of 30 to 33 wk gestation in comparison to early cord clamping (ECC) within 10 s. This mixed longitudinal study was conducted in moderately preterm neonates of 30 to 33 wk gestation born in a level III unit in Northern India with the study sample nested within a randomized controlled trial on placental transfusion. Intervention was delayed cord clamping for 60 s or cord milking compared with early cord clamping (within 10 s). Primary outcome measure was serum ferritin levels at discharge. Secondary outcome measures were serum ferritin levels at 3 mo PMA, incidence of anemia, need for blood transfusion and incidence of iron deficiency by 3 mo PMA. Out of the 215 randomly chosen infants, serum ferritin levels were estimated at least at one time point (at discharge or at 3 mo PMA) in 197 neonates [placental transfusion – 107; early cord clamping – 90]. Amongst them, ferritin level was estimated at discharge in 141 neonates, at 3 mo PMA in 76 neonates and at both time points in 20 neonates. Median (IQR) serum ferritin (μg/L) at discharge was significantly higher in placental transfusion group in comparison to the ECC group [399 (309,600) (n = 79) vs. 254 (190,311) (n = 62); p
