12.4
Cord Care
Malawi Standard Treatment Guidelines, 6th Edition, 2023. Chapter 12, Sexual and Reproductive Health.
Clinical Description
- Wait for 1 to 3 minutes or for cessation of the cord pulsation, then clamp
- Tie the cord with two sterile ties: one 2 cms from the baby's body and the next 3cms from the first tie
- Apply 7.1% Chlorhexidine Di gluconate to the cord stump soon after cutting to prevent infection
- Continue monitoring the stump for bleeding, especially in the first 24 hours
- Bleeding later from the cord might indicate hemorrhagic disease of the newborn (due to Vitamin K deficiency) or an infection. Refer urgently.
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