Umbilical cord: factors which influence the separation time.

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Health
• Pediatrics
• Public Health

Background:

• Umbilical cord separation is a critical developmental milestone in newborns.
• Understanding normal separation timelines and influencing factors is essential for neonatal care.
• Previous studies have yielded varied results regarding factors affecting umbilical cord separation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the normal umbilical cord separation time in healthy Indonesian newborns.
• To investigate potential correlations between cord separation and various neonatal and maternal factors.
• To provide data relevant to neonatal care practices in Indonesia.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 98 healthy Indonesian newborns.
• Data collection on sex, birthweight, gestational age, maternal parity, and newborn nutrition.
• Observation and recording of umbilical cord separation time.
• Statistical analysis to assess the influence of identified factors.

Main Results:

• The mean umbilical cord separation time was 10.9 days (Standard Deviation 3.0, Range 5-23 days).
• No statistically significant influence was found for sex, birthweight, gestational age, maternal parity, or newborn nutrition on separation time.
• The cord care regimen involved triple dye application, and no umbilical infections were observed.

Conclusions:

• The established mean separation time of 10.9 days provides a reference for healthy Indonesian newborns.
• The studied factors (sex, birthweight, gestational age, maternal parity, nutrition) do not appear to significantly impact umbilical cord separation in this population.
• Standardized cord care with triple dye was associated with the absence of umbilical infections, supporting its efficacy.