A Cross Sectional Comparative Study of Methylated Spirit and Chlorhexidine in Preventing Neonatal Cord Infections in a Local Hospital, Jos- Plateau State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: The care of the umbilical cord is very vital during the early postnatal period. This is because it could constitute a source of infection if left unkempt leading to neonatal morbidity and mortality. Objectives: This study aims to determine if Chlorhexidine is more efficacious than the methylated spirit in preventing Omphalitis, Neonatal sepsis, and Neonatal mortality. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional comparative study of methylated versus chlorhexidine gel with 20 and 14 mother-baby pairs, respectively, conducted in 563 Nigerian Air Force Military (NAF) Hospital, Jos, between the 1st to 30th of September 2021. SPSS version 23 was used for data analysis to examine for incidence of omphalitis, time-to-cord separation, NNS, and mortality. Results: Most of the women who participated in the study were between 30 to 36 years. Both agents gave similar outcomes within the first four days of life. In both groups, cord separation was mostly on days 7 – 9. The median (IQR) separation time was 8 (7 – 9.25) and 8 (7 - 13) for chlorhexidine and methylated spirit group respectively. An independent sample t-test for non-normally distributed data – the Mann-Whitney U test, was conducted to assess any difference in the mean separation time of both groups. With a P-value of 0.05, the results showed that there was no statistically significant difference in the separation time of both groups. Therefore, any difference between both groups was due to chance. Conclusion: Chlorhexidine is not superior to Methylated spirit in preventing Omphalitis, neonatal sepsis, and neonatal infections in resource-constrained environments. It is therefore important that the use of methylated spirit should be encouraged, especially when caregivers cannot afford Chlorhexidine.