Subject: Topical umbilical cord care at birth (Cochrane Review)
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Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2004 11:25:17 +0200

From The Cochrane Library, Issue 3, 2004. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. All rights reserved.

Topical umbilical cord care at birth (Cochrane Review)

Zupan J, Garner P, Omari AAA

ABSTRACT

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A substantive amendment to this systematic review was last made on 06 May 2004. Cochrane reviews are regularly checked and updated if necessary.
Background: Umbilical cord infection caused many neonatal deaths before aseptic techniques were used.

Objectives: To assess the effects of topical cord care in preventing cord infection, illness and death.

Search strategy: We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group trials register (September 2003) and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Library, Issue 2, 2003). We also contacted experts in the field.

Selection criteria: Randomized and quasi-randomized trials of topical cord care compared with no topical care, and comparisons between different forms of care.

Data collection and analysis: Two reviewers assessed trial quality and extracted data.

Main results: Twenty-one studies (8959 participants) were included, the majority of which were from high-income countries. No systemic infections or deaths were observed in any of the studies reviewed. No difference was demonstrated between cords treated with antiseptics compared with dry cord care or placebo. There was a trend to reduced colonization with antibiotics compared to topical antiseptics and no treatment. Antiseptics prolonged the time to cord separation. Use of antiseptics was associated with a reduction in maternal concern about the cord.

Reviewers' conclusions: Good trials in low-income settings are warranted. In high-income settings, there is limited research which has not shown an advantage of antibiotics or antiseptics over simply keeping the cord clean. Quality of evidence is low.

Citation: Zupan J, Garner P, Omari AAA. Topical umbilical cord care at birth (Cochrane Review). In: The Cochrane Library, Issue 3, 2004. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

This is an abstract of a regularly updated, systematic review prepared and maintained by the Cochrane Collaboration. The full text of the review is available in The Cochrane Library (ISSN 1464-780X).

The Cochrane Library is designed and produced by Update Software Ltd, and published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.