Knowledge and Practice of Umbilical Cord Care Amongst Mothers Attending Post Natal Clinic at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi

Poor umbilical cord care practices have been linked with infections and mortality in newborns. Some mothers use multiple agents in umbilical cord care. It is imperative to assess the knowledge of umbilical cord care and its practices among mothers at the highest level of care. The study utilizes a descriptive cross-sectional survey design. A simple random technique with a sample size of 199 was employed for this study. A self-constructed questionnaire was employed as the instrument for data collection, with a reliability coefficient of 0.83. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the level of knowledge, the level of practice, and factors influencing the level of knowledge and practice of cord care among mothers attending post-natal clinic at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH). Descriptive statistics were used for analysis of data. The result of the study revealed a fair knowledge of umbilical cord care as shown by the mean percentage of 66.5%. Dry cord care/Antiseptic cord care (40.2%) were reported as the methods of cord care and Antiseptics (75.4%) is the major solution to be used in cleaning the umbilical cord. Furthermore, the study revealed a fair practice of umbilical cord care with 61.9% as the mean percentage. Chlorhexidine (47.7%) was the major solution used, and the cord was kept dry and exposed to air after cleaning (52.7%). Age group, marital status, educational level, number of parities and occupation have a significant influence on umbilical cord care. In conclusion, the study identified a low incidence of reported complications, suggesting an overall adherence to evidence-based practices. Keywords: knowledge, practice, umbilical cord, umbilical cord care, postnatal mothers