Gupta P, Nagesh K, Garg P, Thomas J, Suryawanshi P, Sethuraman G, Hazarika RD, Verma RJ, Kumar CS, Kumari S, Taneja S, Chavhan V, Thakor P, Pandita A, et al.
Pediatric health, medicine and therapeutics. Date of publication 2023 Aug 25;volume 14():249-265.
1. Pediatric Health Med Ther. 2023 Aug 25;14:249-265. doi: 10.2147/PHMT.S414091.
eCollection 2023.
Evidence-Based Consensus Recommendations for Skin Care in Healthy, Full-Term
Neonates in India.
Gupta P(#)(1), Nagesh K(#)(2), Garg P(#)(3), Thomas J(#)(4), Suryawanshi
P(#)(5), Sethuraman G(#)(6), Hazarika RD(#)(7), Verma RJ(#)(8), Kumar CS(#)(9),
Kumari S(#)(10), Taneja S(#)(11), Chavhan V(#)(12), Thakor P(#)(13), Pandita
A(#)(13).
Author information:
(1)Department of Pediatrics, University College of Medical Sciences, New Delhi,
India.
(2)Department of Neonatology, Manipal Hospitals Group (MHEPL), Bangalore,
Karnataka, India.
(3)Department of Neonatology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, India.
(4)Department of Dermatology, The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University,
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
(5)Department of Neonatology, BVU Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
(6)Department of Neonatology, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute,
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
(7)Department of Pediatrics & Neonatology, Nemcare Superspecialty Hospital,
Guwahati, Assam, India.
(8)Department of Neonatology & General Pediatrics, Sir H.N Reliance Hospital,
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
(9)Department of Pediatrics, Apollo Cradle, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana,
India.
(10)Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad,
Telangana, India.
(11)Sushrut Medical Centre Pvt Ltd, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India.
(12)Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahyadri Superspecialty Hospitals,
Pune, Maharashtra, India.
(13)Department of Medical Affairs, JNTL Consumer Health (India) Pvt. Ltd.,
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
(#)Contributed equally
PURPOSE: Neonatal skin care practices guided by personal experience and
preferences might be substantially different across different hospital settings.
The aim of this consensus recommendation is to provide clinical practice
guidance to healthcare practitioners on evidence-based neonatal skin care
practices from delivery-to-discharge, in hospital settings.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: A Scientific Advisory Board meeting on "Evidence-based
Neonatal Skin Care Practices and Protocols" was held in December 2020 with an
expert panel comprising neonatologists, pediatricians, obstetricians and
gynecologists and pediatric dermatologist. Comprehensive literature search was
performed up to 23 March 2021 using PubMed and Google Scholar to retrieve
relevant evidence.
RESULTS: Recommendations were developed on critical aspects of skin care in
healthy full-term neonates including cleansing at birth, skin-to-skin care, cord
care, diaper area care, initial and routine bathing, cleansers and emollients
use, and criteria to choose appropriate skin care products. Recommendations
include inclusion of skin assessment in routine neonatal care, first bath timing
after cardio-respiratory and thermal stabilization, 6-24 hours after birth;
bathing with water alone or adding a mild liquid cleanser could be considered
appropriate as it does not impact the developing skin barrier; use of emollients
is recommended for neonates with higher risk of development of eczema to
maintain and enhance skin barrier function and integrity; and inclusion of skin
care advice in neonatal discharge checklist. Importance of rigorous quality
control, high-quality clinical trials for assessment of baby products, usage of
products that are formulated appropriately for newborns, and full label
transparency for baby products were highlighted. The panel identified gaps in
literature and discussed the scope for future research.
CONCLUSION: These recommendations may help to standardize evidence-based skin
care for healthy full-term neonates in Indian hospital settings to improve the
quality of care that neonates receive in hospital and facilitate improvement in
overall neonatal health outcomes.
© 2023 Gupta et al.
DOI: 10.2147/PHMT.S414091
PMCID: PMC10465361
PMID: 37654800
Conflict of interest statement: Priti Thakor and Ankita Pandita are employees of
JNTL Consumer Health (India) Pvt Ltd. Dr Ankita Pandita reports the advisory
board was conducted by JNTL Consumer Health (India) Pvt Ltd. All other authors
declare that they have no competing interests.
