[Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia: evaluation and treatment]

We investigated 185 newborns with hyperbilirubinemia hospitalised in Neonatal Unit of Pediatric clinic during 1997. We identified an apparent cause for the jaundice in 76 newborns (41.0%), but in 109 newborns (58.8%) no cause for the jaundice was found. Contributing factors for this jaundice were: male sex, preterm bith, breast feeding, considerable weight loss, instrumental or induced delivery as well as genetic factors. Exchange transfusion was done in only 2 cases (1.08%) with Rh isoimmunisation and positive Coombs test, which is according to attitude that blood exchange transfusion as an expensive procedure with high mortality and morbidity has largely been replaced by phototherapy because of its relative freedom from complications together with its non-invasive nature. The average duration of hospitalisation of hyperbilirubinemic newborns lasted 4.8 days. We consider to make all efforts to short duration of hospitalisation time, because separation of newborn from the mother during phototherapy has a negative impact on early mother-infant social and emotional interaction.