Reducing the Risks of Mouth-to-Mouth resuscitation
The benefit of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for an asphyxiated newborn greatly outweighs the risk for secondary infection in the birth attendant or the patient. However, the most likely source of contamination from the newborn to the birth attendant is blood and amniotic fluid on the newborns face. Quickly washing off the newborn's face with soap and water and using a gauze barrier would reduce a very low level of risk even further.
Another alternative is the use of a very inexpensive locally made device called a SKAMGOA, by Dr. Sylvia Deganus and her Ghanaian colleagues who developed it. The SKAMGOA (Figure 1) is made from the top portion of a drinking water bottle and a piece of sponge cut to fit the bottom edge of the bottle to protect the newborn's face. It is so inexpensive that it can be disposed of after use to avoid any possibility of cross contamination with reuse. Although a formal study has not been done, the SKAMGOA has been used successfully for newborn resuscitation by midwives and physicians in Ghana who were faced with the lack of newborn resuscitation equip- ment and concern about possible transmission of HIV and