NEONATAL JAUNDICE: A REVIEW

Abstract

Jaundice occurs in most newborn infants. Most jaundice is benign,but because of the potential toxicity of bilirubin, newborninfants must be monitored to identify those who might developsevere hyperbilirubinemia and, in rare cases, acute bilirubinencephalopathy or kernicterus. The focus of this article isto reduce the incidence of severe hyperbilirubinemia and bilirubinencephalopathy while minimizing the risks of unintended harmsuch as maternal anxiety, decreased breastfeeding, and unnecessarycosts or treatment. Although kernicterus should almost alwaysbe preventable, cases continue to occur. This article providesa framework for the prevention and management of hyperbilirubinemiain newborn infants of 35 or more weeks of gestation.