JOIN USVernix caseosa is a white cheese-like material that covers the skin of a newborn baby and is present at birth. The term vernix means ‘to varnish’ and caseosa means ‘cheesy’. Vernix has anti-infective, water modularity and antioxidant properties that are potentially involved in the neonatal transition of a baby to an extrauterine environment.
Vernix is secreted by the sebaceous glands by the fifth month of pregnancy to protect the baby’s skin from dehydration in the womb. Without the protection from vernix, the baby would have wrinkled skin due to the constant exposure to the watery fluid (amniotic fluid) in the womb. Vernix progressively coats the baby from head to toes in the last weeks of pregnancy.
The turbidity of the amniotic fluid is due to vernix. The foetus in the womb swallows the amniotic fluid containing the detached vernix. This swallowed vernix has potential effects on the developing gut. Proteins in vernix help in the development of ‘surfactant of the lung,’ which prevent it from collapsing, and also keep the airways sterile due to its anti infective properties.
Vernix is transferred to the perineum of the mother during the birth process — this helps in the healing of the perineal structures. The process of being born has high oxidative stress and hence, the human skin and vernix have antioxidant property to counter this stress.
Also, newborn babies do not need any kind of moisturiser; vernix with high water content is a natural moisturising cream. It’s also a unique barrier cream against infections. The most important function of vernix caseosa is to modulate water activity, promote cornification (keratin formation) and protect the developing epidermal barrier (superficial skin) from the deleterious effects of abusive and extended water exposure. Preterm and low birth weight (born too small) babies typically have a very immature epidermal barrier and are hence prone to hospital and community acquired infection.
Nursing practices such as the removal of vernix at birth have been based primarily on convenience, custom or cosmetic effect. Not knowing the role of vernix – it is treated as an unwanted soil and dictates its removal at birth. However, one must remember that it serves several purposes and resist the urge to rub it off.
(The author is director, Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health, Bengaluru)