Alcohol or iodine for the umbilical cord of a newborn

When a newborn is just born, it is connected to the mother by the umbilical cord. The doctor needs to cut the umbilical cord so that the newborn can be born safely. However, after the umbilical cord is cut, it needs to be treated with reagents to prevent the invasion of viruses and bacteria. The most commonly used reagents are alcohol or iodine tincture. Both of these reagents are chemical drugs and have certain corrosive properties, but different reagents should be selected according to the situation. Let's learn about it below.

Iodine tincture is an amorphous combination of elemental iodine and polyvinylpyrrolidone (Povidone). Polyvinyl pyrrolidone can dissolve and disperse 9% to 12% of iodine, which appears as a purple-black liquid. However, medical iodine tincture usually has a lower concentration (1% or less) and is light brown in color.

Iodine tincture has a broad-spectrum bactericidal effect and can kill bacterial vegetative bodies, fungi, protozoa and some viruses. It is used as a bactericidal disinfectant in medicine. It can be used to disinfect the skin and mucous membranes, treat burns, and treat trichomoniasis, candidal vaginitis, and fungal skin infections. It can also be used for pre-operative and other skin disinfection, skin disinfection of various injection sites, instrument immersion disinfection, and pre-vaginal surgery disinfection.

Iodine is very effective in disinfecting common injuries such as burns, frostbite, knife wounds, abrasions, and bruises. Because iodine

Compared with alcohol, the irritation and pain caused by iodine tincture is milder, it is easier for patients to accept, it is widely used and has definite effects. It has basically replaced skin and mucous membrane disinfectants such as alcohol, mercurochrome, iodine, and gentian violet. In addition, low-concentration iodine tincture is a light brown solution that is not easy to stain clothing.

Although iodine tincture has been widely used in hospitals, non-medical staff's understanding of iodine tincture is not as good as that of traditional disinfectants such as mercurochrome, iodine tincture, and gentian violet.

Stage 1: Before the umbilical cord falls off. Before the umbilical cord falls off, the area needs to be kept clean and dry, especially the diaper should not cover the navel to avoid wetting the navel wound after urination. Check the local area regularly for bleeding. If bleeding occurs, re-ligation is needed to stop the bleeding. If there is no bleeding, just wipe and disinfect the base of the umbilical cord with 75% alcohol or 5% povidone-iodine cotton swab every day, and then wait for it to fall off naturally.

Stage 2: After the umbilical cord falls off. After the umbilical cord falls off, there will often be a small amount of secretion in the navel fossa. After each bath, you can use a 75% alcohol cotton swab to disinfect the umbilical cord stump and the area around the umbilical wheel. You can also use 5% povidone-iodine to dehydrate the umbilical cord stump and make it easier to dry.