Authors : V.I. Joel-Medewase , O.A. Oyedeji , P.O. Elemile and G.A. Oyedeji
Abstract: In a study designed to determine the various methods used by mothers in caring for the umbilical cord stump of their newborn, 193 babies were studied. Consecutive 193 babies with their mothers attending were seen at the immunization and welfare and clinics of the State Hospital Osogbo, between January 1st and March 31st, 2006. Information concerning the ages, sexes and place of birth, treatments applied to the umbilical cord stump of the babies and the educational status of the mothers were obtained and recorded in a proforma. The neonates were also examined for complications of poor cord care. The age range of the 193 babies was between 1 and 28 days and they consisted of 103 boys and 90 girls, giving a male to female ratio of 1.1:1. Optimal cord care practices were not utilized by all the mothers studied. Cord care practices was fair among 160 (82.9%) and poor in 33 (17.1%). Multiple agents were used to treat the cord in most babies with poor care. Among the 33 with poor cord care, fomentation with hot water, lantern, knife and application of menthol containing creams were used in, 23 (40.4%), 20 (35.1%), 1 (1.8%) and 13 (22.8%) cases, respectively. The reason for the fair and poor cord care by the mothers was ignorance concerning better methods. The differences between the major 18 (52.9%) of the 34 mothers delivered at non-tertiary health facilities with unsatisfactory cord care compared with the corresponding 16 (10.1%) of the 159 mothers delivered at the tertiary centers are statistically significant 2 = 32.59, p = 0.00, Yate’s correction applied. It is concluded, that the care of the cord among mothers in the present study is sub-standard. Emphasis should be laid on educating pregnant women and the mothers of the newborn concerning optimal cord care. Practical optimum cord care demonstrations should also be given to all the newly delivered mothers, by health care providers.
V.I. Joel-Medewase , O.A. Oyedeji , P.O. Elemile and G.A. Oyedeji , 2008. Cord Care Practices of South-Western Nigerian Mothers. International Journal of Tropical Medicine, 3: 15-18.