Author(s)

Joseph Agossou^1*, Marcelline Hounnou-d’Almeïda², Julien Didier Adédémy¹, Alphonse Noudamadjo¹, Doué Yasmine Gounou N’gobi¹, Blaise Ayivi²

¹Department of Mother and Child, Faculty of Medicine, University of Parakou, Parakou, Benin.
²Department of Mother and Child, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Aboomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin.

Objective: The objective was to study umbilical care practices and risks in Parakou (North Benin). Patients and method: It was a cross-sectional and descriptive study carried out within a community from June 1 to August 31, 2013. It focused on all the infants born at the maternity of Parakou Health Center and their mothers. Results: Two hundred and ten newborns were included i.e. 101 boys and 109 girls. In 80.9% of cases, inappropriate substances had been applied to umbilical cord. Umbilical cord care quality was adjudged as poor, acceptable and good in 58.6%, 31.9% and 9.5% of cases respectively. A bacterial umbilical infection had been noted in 59.5% of newborns. Only 4.8% had sterile umbilical wound. The commonest bacteria were: Staphylococcus aureus (58.1%), Staphylococcus saprophiticus (53.3%), Escherichia coli (44.8%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (14.3%). The factors associated with umbilical infection were: low educational status of mother (p = 0.026), low-income occupation of mother (p = 0.021), customary practices to accelerate umbilical cord fall off (p = 0.007), short time to cord falling off lower than 6 days (p = 0.015). Conclusion: Umbilical cord care involves high risk for bacterial infection in our context. Strong actions must be taken within the community in order to reduce that risk.

Umbilical Care Practices, Risks, Newborn, Parakou, Benin

Agossou, J. , Hounnou-d’Almeïda, M. , Adédémy, J. , Noudamadjo, A. , N’gobi, D. and Ayivi, B. (2016) Newborn Umbilical Cord Care in Parakou in 2013: Practices and Risks. Open Journal of Pediatrics, 6, 124-135. doi: 10.4236/ojped.2016.61019.