Povidone iodine, for many known under the brand name of Betadine, is an antiseptic that should not be used in pregnant women, women who breastfeed or even more when there are totally safe alternatives.
This disinfectant contains huge amounts of iodine, which are absorbed through the skin very quickly and in a very high concentration.
Iodine can reach concentrations in breast milk up to 20 times higher than blood levels. Iodine overload produced in a newborn baby whose mother has been given povidone iodine during and after childbirth (for example, to perform and cure a C-section) can cause transient hypothyroidism, which can lead to false positives in the test of the heel (with the consequent fright for the parents) and even affect the baby's brain development.
Alternatives to povidone iodine
Although povidone iodine is still used extensively in many maternity centers and health centers, there are more and more places where the Chlorhexidine as an alternative to povidone iodine.
Known to many as Crystalline, it is a safe topical antiseptic for the baby and the mother, classified as zero risk on the eLactance website of Denia Hospital.
In any case, it is increasingly common to take care of the sutures of a caesarean section or an episotomy simply with the usual cleaning and careful drying of the area.
