Purpose
This study aimed to identify correlations between the status of the umbilical cord and neonatal health status.
Methods
In total, 172 newborns were enrolled who were admitted to the newborn nursery with a gestational age of 35 weeks or older and a body weight of 2 kg or above. Data were collected on the basic personal information of the newborns, the diameter and soft tissue status of the umbilical cord, and neonatal health status after birth. Analyses were performed using t-test, analysis of variance, x² test, and Fisher exact test.
Results
Umbilical cord diameter exhibited a statistically significant difference by sex (t=2.71, p=.007). A thin umbilical cord diameter was associated with a 1-minute Apgar score less than 8 points (t=2.47, p=.015) and with being transferred to the intensive care unit (t=2.45, p=.015). Poor soft tissue status of the umbilical cord was associated with a 1-minute Apgar score of less than 8 points (x²=16.68, p<.001) and with oxygen being supplied (x²=4.81, p=.028).
Conclusion
Assessing the umbilical cord diameter and status in newborns is an important tool for evaluating neonatal health status after birth, and this point also underscores the importance of professionals' careful observations in the newborn nursery.

Citations

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  JDS Communications.2026; 7(3): 378.     CrossRef
• The Impact of Maternal Diabetes and Hypothyroidism on Signaling Pathway Activation and Gene Expression in Fetal Mesenchymal Stem Cells
  Dominika Przywara, Wiktor Babiuch, Alicja Petniak, Bartosz Piszcz, Arkadiusz Krzyżanowski, Adrianna Kondracka, Janusz Kocki, Paulina Gil-Kulik
  Biomedicines.2026; 14(2): 436.     CrossRef
• Placental and umbilical cord morphometry in preeclampsia and their association with neonatal outcomes: a preliminary study in Ghana
  Rita Agyei Boakye, Nancy Darkoa Darko, Atta Kusi Appiah, Chrissie Stansie Abaidoo, Juliet Robertson, Frank Enoch Gyamfi, Francis Kofi Sarkodie, Ronald Awoonor-Williams, Emmanuel Ansah Owusu
  BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth.2026;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Sex dimorphic associations of Prader–Willi imprinted gene expressions in umbilical cord with prenatal and postnatal growth in healthy infants
  Berta Mas-Parés, Gemma Carreras-Badosa, Ariadna Gómez-Vilarrubla, Antonio De Arriba-Muñoz, Olivia Lafalla-Bernard, Anna Prats-Puig, Francis De Zegher, Lourdes Ibañez, Andrea M. Haqq, Judit Bassols, Abel Lopez-Bermejo
  World Journal of Pediatrics.2025; 21(1): 100.     CrossRef
• EVALUATION OF UMBILICAL CORD THICKNESS AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH ANTENATAL MATERNAL RISK FACTORS
  SWAROOP SINGH, PUNEET JAIN, SUNNY MALVIA
  Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Resea.2025; : 60.     CrossRef
• Effect of rooming‐in kangaroo mother care on breastfeeding and behavioral status of full‐term newborns
  Yin Ying, Sichao Chen, Lijun Bei, Junhua Ye, Shan Jin
  Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research.2024; 50(12): 2263.     CrossRef
• Evaluation of Umbilical Cord Thickness and Its Association with Antenatal Maternal Risk Factors: A Cross Sectional Prospective Study
  Jaiprakash Narayan, Deepali Bangalia, Laxman Singh Charan, Satyendr Sonkariya, Dinesh Kumar Barolia, Pukhraj Garg
  Journal of Comprehensive Pediatrics.2022;[Epub]     CrossRef

The purpose of this study was to confirm the efficient umbilical cord care of healthy newborns in nursery. In order to determine the efficient care, the time of umbilical cord separation and the skin condition of periumbilical area were evaluated. The data were collected in sample of 529 normal, healthy newborns of C hospital in Seoul, from September 1st, 1999 to January 16th, 2000. The babies were randomly selected and allocated into four groups-alcohol swab/tub bath, alcohol swab/partial bath, natural dry/tub bath, natural dry/partial bath- by the methods of care. The mothers of babies were also surveyed by questionnaire about general characteristics. The data were analyzed by SAS program. The results of this study were as follows : 1. The average gestation period of newborns was 39 + 3 weeks. The average birth weight was 3.27Kg. In gender of babies, boys were 51.7% and girls were 48.3%. The 65% of newborns were born normal vaginal delivery, 35% were C-section. The feeding methods were 55.3% of the babies fed by mixed type, 22.9% by breast, and 21.8% by bottle. There was no significance among four groups by general characteristics. 2. The average time of umbilical cord separation was 8.27 days(SD=2.3). The time was no difference significantly among four groups(F=1.68, P=0.17). 3.The prevalence of the umbilical care complication did not show differences among four groups( 2=3.93, P=0.27). In conclusion, Nurses have preferred the traditional alcohol swab/partial bath method in care of newborns. But there was no difference among the ways to take care of umbilicus according to this study. The way to naturally is more efficient due to reduce the time and expense in umbilical care for normal babies of nursery. This also matched the change in approach to healthy population from intervention to nonintervention way. This could be suggested in education for normal and healthy babies care at home and nursery as a useful way. Endly, the further study about bacterial colony and infection rate at umbilicus by ways of care is needed.