Gowning on a postpartum ward fails to decrease colonization in the newborn infant. A randomized controlled trial of a nursery ritual: wearing cover gowns to care for healthy newborns. Does routine gowning reduce nosocomial infection and mortality rates in a neonatal nursery? A Singapore experience. Gowning does not affect colonization or infection rates in a neonatal intensive care unit. Effect of antiseptic cord care on bacterial colonization in the newborn infant. Staphylococcal and streptococcal colonization of the newborn infant: effect of antiseptic cord care. Bacterial colonization and neonatal infections. Effects of skin and umbilical disinfection in the nursery. Group B beta-hemolytic streptococcal colonization. Acquisition, persistence, and effect of umbilical cord treatment with triple dye.
We conducted a randomized study to evaluate the effect of gowning by visitors and hospital personnel on a postpartum ward on nose and umbilical colonization and disease in healthy newborn infants. Cultures were obtained in infants assigned to the gowning and nongowning groups within 6 hours of birth from the anterior part of the nares and the base of the umbilicus and at the time of discharge from the nursery. There were 102 infants in the gowning group and 100 infants in the nongowning group. No significant differences were noted between the two groups with respect to sex, length of stay, mode of delivery, weight, or status of nursery admission culture results. The use of gowns on a postpartum ward failed to decrease nose or umbilical colonization when compared with infants in the nongowning group. Seventy (68.6%) of 102 infants in the gowning group and 65 (65%) of 100 infants in the nongowning group had negative umbilical cord cultures on admission to the nursery that became positive at discharge. On follow-up, no differences were noted between the two groups with respect to their health. Only one infant in each group had an infection develop in the first 4 weeks of life. We conclude that the routine use of cover gowns on postpartum units in healthy full-term infants is ineffective and costly. It may discourage health care providers from examining patients and providing care. The routine wearing of individual cover gowns by nurses and visitors for direct care of healthy newborns was usual practice on the maternity ward of a regional referral center. We conducted a randomized trial in which cover gowns were not provided for care of infants in the experimental group (n = 222), but were maintained for control infants (n = 230). The principal outcome measured was Staphylococcus aureus colonization of the newborn nares or umbilicus on day 3 or day of discharge. Twenty percent (n = 51) of the experimental group (no gown) had a positive culture compared with 21 percent (n = 47) of the controls. Of the infants with positive cultures, two in each group exhibited symptoms of overt S. aureus infection. Experimental infants were similar to controls with respect to feeding method, route of delivery, amount of time spent rooming-in, and average number of visitors per day. In the group of positively cultured infants, the mothers experienced longer labor, and more vaginal examinations in labor, and the number of males undergoing circumcision was higher. We concluded that routine use of cover gowns was unwarranted, and we have altered the ward policy accordingly. This also has had a positive economic effect. A 1 year prospective study on routine gowning before entering a neonatal unit was conducted in a maternity hospital in Singapore. This study was done based on previous work by Donowitz, Haque and Chagla and Agbayani et al., as there have been no known studies done in Singapore. The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that routine gowning before entering a neonatal nursery does not reduce nosocomial infection and mortality rate. A total of 212 neonates from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and 1694 neonates from the neonatal special care unit (NSCU) were studied. Neonates admitted during the 1 year study were assigned to the gowning (control) and no routine gowning (trial) group on every alternate 2 months. The hospital infection control nurse provided data on nosocomial infection. The overall nosocomial infection rate in the NICU was 24% (25 of 104 admissions) during gowning periods compared to 16.6% (18 of 108 admissions) when plastic aprons were not worn before entry. In the NSCU, the overall infection rate was 1.5% (12 of 800 admissions) during gowning periods compared to 2.1% (19 of 894 admissions) when no gown was worn before entry. Results of the study found no significant differences in the incidences of nosocomial infection and mortality in the neonates. The cost of gowns used during the no routine gowning periods was S$2012.8 compared to S$3708 used during the routine gowning procedure. The investigators recommend that routine gowning before entering a neonatal unit is not essential and cost effective for the purpose of reducing infection. Rather the focus should be on adequate handwashing by all hospital personnel and visitors before handling neonates. To study the effect of gowning in a neonatal intensive care unit on colonization patterns, necrotizing enterocolitis, respiratory syncytial virus and other infections, mortality, and traffic and handwashing patterns.
                Alternate 2-month gowning and no-gowning cycles were established in a 24-bed level III neonatal intensive care unit for 8 months, with respiratory site, umbilical, and stool surveillance cultures done weekly on all patients. Traffic flow and handwashing compliance were evaluated by direct observation.
                Demographic data did not differ between periods. There were no significant differences between the gowning and no-gowning periods in the rates of bacterial colonization, any type of infection, or mortality. There was no effect on traffic flow or handwashing compliance.
                Gowning in the neonatal intensive care unit is an unnecessary custom without benefit in neonatal colonization, infection rates, mortality, traffic patterns, and handwashing behavior. A randomized controlled study was undertaken to compare the effectiveness of three umbilical cord treatment regimens in controlling neonatal bacterial colonization. The regimens studied included daily application of castile soap, triple dye and silver sulfadiazine. The triple dye and silver sulfadiazine regimens inhibited bacterial colonization. Staphylococcal colonization was inhibited most effectively by triple dye treatment. Group B streptococcal colonization was equally inhibited by triple dye and silver sulfadiazine. Silver sulfadiazine was more effective in controlling colonization with gram-negative microorganisms. A randomized controlled study was undertaken to compare the effectiveness of three umbilical cord treatment regimens in controlling neonatal bacterial colonization. The three regimens studied included castile soap, triple dye, and silver sulfadiazine. The triple dye and silver sulfadiazine application inhibited bacterial colonization. Staphylococcal colonization was inhibited by both treatment regimens but most effectively by triple dye. Group B streptococcal colonization was inhibited most effectively by silver sulfadiazine while triple dye application to the umbilicus promoted colonization with this microorganism. Silver sulfadiazine was more effective in controlling colonization with Gram-negative microorganisms. In a prospective randomized study different regimens for skin and umbilical disinfection in newborn infants were tested: daily whole body soap wash (control group), daily whole body soap wash and umbilical cleansing with (i) benzine solution, or (ii) 0.05% chlorhexidine, and daily whole body wash and umbilical cleansing with a 4% chlorhexidine detergent solution (Hibiscrub). Bacterial cultures were taken from the nose and umbilical area at discharge. Clinical infections were registered in the nursery, and after discharge until 6 weeks of age. Cultures were taken from infected areas. In the control group a high colonization rate was found for S. aureus (91%), E. coli (39%), and group B streptococci (GBS) (20%). The colonization rates were influenced by the Hibiscrub regimen (colonization rate for S. aureus 59%, E. coli 23%, and GBS 10%), but not by the other regimens. Infections (pemphigus, paronychia, conjunctivitis, umbilical infection) occurred in 12.9% of the infants, of whom 65% got infection after discharge from the nursery. 96% of the infections were caused by S. aureus, and 87% caused by strains colonizing the infants in the nursery. None of the tested regimens reduced the rate of infections during the first 6 weeks of life. Following an outbreak of group B beta-hemolytic streptococcal neonatal infection (GBS), a prevalence survey of GBS colonization was performed on 238 infants. No important differences were noted in the prevalence of colonization when the infants were grouped according to age. Follow-up of 24 colonized babies for three months disclosed that most had persistence of GBS at the rectum and pharynx. Local umbilical cord care with triple dye (TD) or hexachlorophene skin cleanser was compared with untreated controls with respect to rates of GBS colonization. At birth the colonization rates of the three groups were similar. The rate of acquisition of colonization with GBS was 1.0% in the TD group, 6.3% in the hexachlorophene group, and 8.3% in the control group. Triple dye was much more effective than no specific cord care or hexachlorophene in preventing acquisition of GBS colonization.
There is no evidence from this systematic review and meta-analysis to demonstrate that overgowns are effective in limiting death, infection or bacterial colonisation in infants admitted to newborn nurseries.