HIPERBILIRRUBINEMIA NEONATAL

Abstract

Neonatal jaundice is frequently seen during the first week of life. It affects 40-60% of full term infants, and 80% of preterm infants. But only 8% present a serious disease. Hospitalization and phototherapy is the most common type of treatment. Nevertheless, most of these infants who do not present any other serious pathology and are breast-fed, could perfectly be managed with periodical controls of serum bilirubine concentration, so that only those who exceed 18-20 mg/dl would need hospitalization.