Management of neonatal jaundice

Neonatal jaundice is the commonest complication among newborn infants in Singapore. Treatment is only required when the jaundice becomes severe. The trans-cutaneous bilirubinometer is useful in screening for neonatal jaundice; it is fairly reliable at levels less than or equal to 200 mumol/l in fullterm babies. Phototherapy is the commonest form of treatment and is effective in almost all cases if high intensity phototherapy is also used. Exchange transfusion is now only rarely used in view of its known complications and relatively high mortality rate.