Umbilical cord: care after delivery

The umbilical cord is a tubular structure about 50 centimeters long, composed of two arteries and a vein, and surrounded by a layer of gelatin, which gives it   sufficient strength and elasticity to resist the movements of the fetus inside the uterus of the uterus. mother.

It is the nexus that connects the placenta to the fetus and, through this structure, the nutrientsit needs and the oxygen-rich blood reach the embryo , in the same way that the waste products are excreted, along with the blood laden with dioxide. carbon.

When the baby is born, the Umbilical Cord is cut, allowing the newborn to be independent and learn to breathe or feed on their own.

It is necessary to maintain this Cord healthy, so that mothers should pay attention to the care of it, until the moment it dries and falls by itself.

According to the Federation of Associations of Midwives of Spain (FAME), “there are scientific studies that have shown that with the normal daily hygiene of the newborn is sufficient for the care of the umbilical cord. No exceptional measures are required, such as the use of disinfectants, except in specific cases. ”

In these cases, “antiseptics, such as chlorhexidine or 70º alcohol, can be used only if the umbilical cord is infected”, corroborates Máximo Vento, president of the Spanish Society of Neonatology, an integral part of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics.

The care, therefore, is reduced to basic advice that both new mothers and those who are not, should bear in mind.

Steps to take care of the umbilical cord

According to FAME, the recommendations to care for the cord are:

• Keep hands clean before handling. For this, it is advisable to wash your hands previously with water and disinfectant soap to perform the cures.
• It is not necessary to cover the cord with gauze or sashes, but it is advisable to place the diaper underneath it to avoid friction and humidity.
• It is important to keep the area dry and clean , thus ensuring that the diaper stays dry for as long as possible.
• During the bath, it is important to wash the cord with soap and water . Afterwards, it is advisable to dry it with a sterile gauze.
• If reddened or draining areas are seen , it is important to see the doctor so that he or she can prescribe the appropriate antiseptic.

In general, the umbilical cord takes between 7 and 21 days to dry and fall , leaving a small wound that takes a few days to heal.

During the period in which the fetus is in the womb, it is possible that the cord can be wound around some part of your body or even on itself, eventually forming a knot .

If this compression extends over time, it may interrupt the passage of oxygen transiently, but it does not represent a frequent event.

According to Dr. Vento, “it is rare that there is a rupture of the umbilical cord when the baby is gestating. But, sometimes, it can develop poorly or be excessively thin and not get well nutrients and oxygen to the fetus. In that case, the fetus can become malnourished and even die. ”

Other uses of the umbilical cord

As a general rule, when the baby is born, the umbilical cord is clamped about 4 centimeters from the abdomen to avoid bleeding. But there is the possibility that this blood, belonging to the umbilical cord, can be used for other purposes.

There are families that choose to keep it in banks, both public and private, since the stem cells that contain the cord are used to treat blood disorders , the immune system and some forms of cancer, such as leukemia .

For this extraction the procedure is simple: at the moment when the umbilical cord is clamped and before the placenta is expelled, the umbilical vein is punctured, the blood is extracted and stored in a sterile bag labeled with the data of Mother.

Said blood is tested to verify that the required requirements are fulfilled, discarding, in addition, infectious diseases and undergoes a cryopreservation process .

According to FAME, “currently, the profits that can be given to cord blood cells are very limited, and the chances that this blood can be used for own use, if stored in private banks, are extremely low” .

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