Bangladesh 2014

The use of a blade from a delivery kit has increased substantially between surveys, from 6 percent
in 2007 to 14 percent in 2011 and to 19 percent in 2014, while the use of boiled instruments has increased
only slightly, from 62 percent in 2007 to 84 percent in 2011 and then dropped 83 percent in 2014 (Figure
9.9).
Figure 9.9 Trend in use of appropriate cord care, 2007-2014
Percent
84
83
62
56
59
52
6
14
19
Blade from kit Boiled instrument to cut cord Nothing applied to cord
2007 BDHS 2011 BDHS 2014 BDHS
Table 9.17 shows what material was applied to the cord immediately after cutting it, according to
the mother’s background characteristics. In over a half of the cases (52 percent), nothing was applied to the
cord after it was cut. When something was applied to the cord, mustard oil with garlic and antibiotics were
the most common materials (19 and 17 percent, respectively), followed by antiseptics (9 percent), and Boric
powder (4 percent). Other materials used were turmeric juice or powder, chewed rice, shidur (vermillion),
gention violet, and ginger juice, but their use is not widespread, about 1 percent or less.
The practice of applying nothing to the umbilical cord was applicable till July 2013, when the
National Core Committee approved of the recommended practice of applying chlorhexidine to the umbilical
cord. Although the recommendation was approved before the 2014 BDHS survey fieldwork, the practice did
not start until July 2015. The question regarding the application of chlorhexidine was asked in the survey,
but did not have any significant number of responses, and hence the results are not included in Table 9.17.
The practice of applying nothing to the umbilical cord increased slightly from 56 percent in 2007 to
59 percent in 2011, but dropped to 52 percent in 2014 (Figure 9.9).
Maternal and Newborn Health • 131