Care Provided to the Umbilical Cord Stump by a Group of Mothers from Luanda

Abstract

Care provided to the umbilical cord stump differs greatly depending on the country, region, culture, and caregivers. This care normally occurs at home and is usually provided by women in the family or close friends while the knowledge grounding such care is not always based on scientific evidence but on beliefs transmitted from generation to generation. Many of these cultural care practices conflict with those based on scientific knowledge as inappropriate substances or procedures expose newborns to a high risk of neonatal tetanus and infection. Hence, this study’s objective was to identify care practices provided to the umbilical cord stump by mothers who delivered in the Lucrécia Paim Hospital. A qualitative study was conducted, and the study setting was Lucrécia Paim Hospital, Luanda, Angola. A total of 29 mothers participated in the study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, which were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Sample size was determined by reaching data saturation. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data. The results reveal three themes: 1) How to care for a umbilical cord stump; 2) The objectives of providing care to the umbilical cord stump; and 3) People to whom mothers turn for guidance. The mothers use alcohol and other substances/products, in accordance with folk knowledge, to facilitate disinfection and to cause the umbilical cord stump to drop off more quickly. Most mothers learn how to care for the umbilical cord stump within their families, also learning from folk knowledge as disseminated in the society. Such knowledge is highly valued by these mothers; only a few learned how to provide care from healthcare workers. The results also show that healthcare professionals do not provide guidance on how mothers should care for the newborn’s umbilical cord stump.