Skin Condition of Term Newborns During Diaper Care for Meconium Removal

Newborns pass a substance called meconium in the first 24-48 hours through feces. Meconium is a sticky substance consisting of epithelial cells containing green, brown and dark colored mucus. Although meconium can be cleaned with soft tissue wipes that do not contain alcohol and odor or cotton soaked with water, it is difficult to clean because of its adhesive structure. Diaper care practices, wiping, rubbing procedures and materials used during care are important parameters that may threaten skin integrity and should be taken into consideration. In the literature, skin disorders in the diaper area are among the most common skin problems encountered by newborns in the first year. The skin of newborns is different from that of adults. The function of the epidermis is not yet complete and studies have reported that it continues to complete the maturation process in the first year of life. However, the gland area in infants has higher hydration and pH levels than other areas. The change in skin pH affects the ionization level of molecules and topical absorption. Friction and prolonged exposure of this area to feces further increase the skin pH and potentiate the action of skin irritating fecal enzymes. Therefore, it is important to keep the diaper area clean at all times and maintain adequate hydration. It is an important necessity to develop a special method for easier removal of meconium formed in the first days of life without damaging the skin integrity. In this study, skin condition score was evaluated by using wet cotton and baby oil-impregnated skin cleansing cotton during diaper care for meconium removal.