Final answer:
The statement is false. Normally, the placenta and umbilical cord are expelled as part of the afterbirth process without necessitating manual extraction unless the placenta is retained, which could then require medical intervention.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that following delivery of the infant, the umbilical cord avulses from the placenta, necessitating manual extraction is false. Normally, after the baby is born, the placenta and umbilical cord are expelled in what is termed the afterbirth. The myometrium contracts to shear the placenta from the uterine wall, which can then usually be delivered easily through the vagina. If not delivered naturally within about 30 minutes, the placenta is considered retained, and at that point, manual extraction or surgical intervention may be required.
After the newborn is delivered, the umbilical cord is typically clamped and cut between the clamps, this procedure does not lead to the cord's avulsion from the placenta. However, the delivery of the placenta is an important step to avoid complications such as postpartum hemorrhage. The postpartum period following the delivery of the placenta is crucial for the mother's recovery.