Factors affecting neonatal jaundice.

Abstract

SUMMARY Plasma bilirubin was estimated on 690 term infants on about the 6th day of life. Perinatal factors were recorded and the results analysed. Hyperbilirubinaemia was defined as a level >205,umol/l (12 mg/100 ml) and this was present in 20% of cases. Three factors-epidural analgesia, breast feeding, and poor weight recovery-showed highly significant associations with jaundice. The relative importance of these is discussed and compared with recent reports. Induction of labour, for reasons other than postmaturity, and a gestational age <39 weeks showed a slightly increased incidence of jaundice. There was no correlation with other factors tested including oxytocic drug administration. Despite the high incidence (20 %) of hyperbilirubinaemia, only 2.5 % infants needed treatment and none required exchange transfusion. Radical (Ghosh and Hudson, 1972;Davidson et al., 1973;Eden et al., 1974;Gould et al., 1974;Chalmers et al., 1975

Bilirubin levels predict renal cortical changes in jaundiced neonates with urinary tract infection

“…[11,13] Neonates with UTI may present discomfort, feeding refusal, vomiting, failure to thrive, and fever. [16][17][18][19][20] Whether higher bilirubin levels in affected jaundiced neonates are related to pathologic renal technetium-99m dimercaptosuccinate acid (Tc-99m DMSA) fi ndings (renal damage) remains unknown. We aim to determine the incidence of UTI in newborns with unexplained jaundice, the frequency of anatomical abnormalities in neonates with jaundice and UTI, and the possible relationship between bilirubin level and renal damage.…”

Awareness of jaundice among mothers of children below 10 years of age

“…[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] . The dangers of elevated levels of bilirubin in the newborn erebral palsy, mental retardation, dental dysplasia, upward gaze paralysis and hearing loss.…”

Study of human lactation for effects of environmental contaminants: the North Carolina Breast Milk and Formula Project and some other ideas.

“…Some breast-fed children have prolonged physiologic jaundice in the neonatal period; it is sometimes the practice to supplement with water or wean them. It is not clear that such prolongation occurs more frequently in breast-fed than in bottle-fed children, nor is there evidence for the effectiveness of supplementation (34,35). Finally, there are animal models in which vertical transmission of virus associated with mouse mammary tumors occurs from mother to daughter through milk; the offspring then have higher rates of mammary tumors.…”

“…At about the fourth week of life, such children develop bilirubins of two to three times normal, which decline if breast-feeding is stopped (33,34). It is claimed that such children can be put back on the breast after several days and that the condition will not recur (35).…”