Doctors: Traditional umbilical cord cutting can be dangerous

KABUL (Pajhwok): Doctors say still wrong beliefs and customs in protection and care of newborns exist in some remote areas of the country, including traditional or non-medical cutting of the umbilical cords, which is dangerous.

Najia, a resident of Baghlan province, whose nephew is hospitalized in Kabul’s Indira Gandhi Hospital, told Pajhwok: “My nephew’s cord did not fall off and was sprinkled with antimony and got infected, we were forced to take him to the doctor.”

She added there were many families in their village who used such methods to cut and heal the umbilical cord of newborns.

Khurshid, a cleaning worker at the Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital, said: “My mother-in-law would use Naswar (snuff) after cutting the cord and some would get better and others get infected.”

Meanwhile, Hanif Seddiqi, a resident of Kabul’s Khairkhana area, said there were families among his relatives who used these methods to cut umbilical cord of their newborns, which in some cases deteriorated child’s health.

Health experts warn that although families do these things with good intentions, the results can be dangerous for the child.

This report provides information about the consequences of traditional cutting of the umbilical cord.

What is umbilical cord and why is it important to take care of it?

Farzana Durrani, a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology in Kabul, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the natural occlusion of the umbilical cord after birth is a physiological process. “The cord falls off seven to 10 days after the birth, which is very important from a medical point of view”.

Dr. Durrani added that families should take care and keep the cords of their newborns dry at all times to prevent germs and swelling.

She said: “Self-medication is wrong and leads to serious problems.”

She urged families to avoid self-medication and refer to relevant specialist so that their children do not face problems.

According to her, giving birth at home and in an unsanitary place also causes the cord to catch germs.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ramesh Qadeer, a general surgeon at Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul, said that the umbilical cord was a vital bridge between the fetus and the mother during pregnancy.

“This dries up and falls off physiologically after birth; usually within one to two weeks”.

He added if the cords did not fall off after this period, it was a cause for concern because there was a possibility of it becoming infected and requiring medical attention.

He emphasized that the umbilical cord should be cut with sterilized tools and in the presence of professionals because any contamination could lead to the umbilical cord becoming infected.

Some families in some parts of the country still use methods of applying non-medical objects to treat the umbilical cord, which causes the baby’s umbilical cord to become infected, he explained.

According to him, self-medication is mostly practiced in communities who lack awareness and most such cases take place in provinces than in the capital.

She said: “We have many cases in the hospital where the cord has become infected due to self-medication.”

Dr. Qadeer advised families that pregnant mothers should visit doctor at least four or five times and give birth in health centers so that newborns’ umbilical cord could be cut correctly.

He said if inflammation was mild and moderate, it was controllable, otherwise it could be dangerous.

Meanwhile, Dr. Rafiddin Naseri, a pediatric trainer and specialist at Ataturk National Hospital, said adding dyes and other non-medical substances to the umbilical cord was an unscientific practice that causes problems and blood infections in newborns.

He says three or four newborns a week visit the hospital with cord inflammation.

He urges families to ensure that births are carried out under the supervision of professional doctors to ensure the umbilical cord is cut with a sterilized blade and kept dry.

“If inflammation is seen in the child’s cord, he/she should be taken to the nearest health center”.

Meanwhile, pediatric specialist Sultan Sadid said some families, especially those living far from cities, add dyes, coal, and even animal feces to the child’s cord, which is very dangerous and poses a threat to children’s lives.

“We face such issues every week, we witness about ten such cases every month on average,” said a person who works at a private hospital.

He added maintaining hygiene and avoiding the use of any non-medical substances was effective in preventing infections.

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