This discussion on cords 'dropping off' and various care made me go and
search for the studies on alcohol vs air for cord care. I'm not sure if this
was the exact study, but I do know that a few years ago we changed our cord
care routine as a result of studies showing that alcohol on the cord didn't
really help
Kirsten Blacker
RN RM
Australia
1: J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 1998 Nov-Dec;27(6):621-7
Alcohol versus natural drying for newborn cord care.
Dore S, Buchan D, Coulas S, Hamber L, Stewart M, Cowan D, Jamieson L
Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation, Ontario, Canada.
OBJECTIVE: To compare alcohol cleaning and natural drying of newborn
umbilical
cords. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized controlled trial. SETTING:
Tertiary-level
university teaching hospital and level II community hospital. PARTICIPANTS:
Of
1,876 singleton full-term newborns enrolled, 1,811 completed the study.
INTERVENTIONS: Newborns, from birth until separation of the cord, were
randomized to either (a) umbilical cleansing with 70% isopropyl alcohol at
each
diaper change or (b) natural drying of the umbilical site without special
treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Umbilical infection, cord separation time,
maternal comfort, and cost. RESULTS: No newborn in either group developed a
cord
infection. Primary care providers obtained cultures for cord concerns in 32
newborns (1.8%), with colonization for normal flora, Staphylococcus aureus,
and
Group B streptococcus proportionately equal in alcohol and air dry groups.
Cord
separation time was statistically significantly different (alcohol group,
9.8
days; natural drying group, 8.16 days; t = 8.9, p = < .001). Mothers
described
similar comfort with cord care and relief with cord separation. Costs of
alcohol
drying while in the hospital were greater than those of natural drying.
CONCLUSIONS: (a) Evidence does not support continued use of alcohol for
newborn
cord care; (b) health care providers should explain the normal process of
cord
separation, including appearance and possible odor; and (c) health care
providers should continue to develop evidence to support or eliminate
historic
practices.
Publication Types:
Clinical trial
Randomized controlled trial
PMID: 9836156
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