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Related Experiment Videos

Does bathing newborns remove potentially harmful pathogens from the skin?

J M Medves1, B O'Brien

  • 1School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen's University, 90 Barrie Street, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada.

Birth (Berkeley, Calif.)
|September 13, 2001
PubMed
Summary
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Newborn bathing with mild soap and water shows minimal effect on skin bacterial colonization compared to water alone. Infant skin microbial colonization increases over time, regardless of bathing method, during the first day of life.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal care
  • Microbiology
  • Dermatology

Background:

  • Newborn infants undergo routine bathing to prevent pathogen transmission.
  • The impact of mild soap on neonatal skin microbial colonization is not well-documented.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare skin microbial colonization rates in newborns bathed with mild soap and water versus plain water.

Main Methods:

  • 140 infants were randomized into two groups: soap/water bath or water-only bath.
  • Microbiology swabs were collected from the anterior fontanelle and umbilical area before the first bath, 1 hour after, and 24 hours after birth.

Main Results:

  • No significant difference in the type or quantity of skin microbes was observed between the soap/water and water-only groups.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Skin microbial colonization increased significantly over time in all infants, irrespective of bathing intervention.

    • Conclusions:

    • Bathing newborns with mild soap has a negligible effect on skin bacterial colonization compared to water alone.
    • Increased skin colonization over the first 24 hours suggests that healthcare professionals should consider gloves for handling newborns.
    • The study did not support the routine use of mild soap for reducing bacterial colonization in healthy newborns.