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Hyperbilirubinemia, or jaundice, is common in newborns. Breastfeeding is linked to increased jaundice, possibly due to insufficient calorie intake in breast-fed infants.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Pediatrics
- Clinical Nutrition
Background:
- Hyperbilirubinemia is a frequent neonatal issue.
- Jaundice affects many full-term infants shortly after birth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the development of jaundice in newborns.
- To identify factors correlated with elevated serum bilirubin levels.
Main Methods:
- Prospective investigation of 866 newborns.
- Analysis of correlations between serum bilirubin and various factors.
Main Results:
- Serum bilirubin levels correlated with birth method, perinatal complications, blood group incompatibilities, birth weight, and feeding method.
- Breastfeeding showed a strong association with exaggerated jaundice.
- Breastfed infants without a determined cause were most likely to require phototherapy.
Conclusions:
- Relative caloric deprivation may explain increased hyperbilirubinemia in breastfed newborns.
- Feeding method is a significant factor in neonatal jaundice development.
Abstract:
Hyperbilirubinemia is the most common problem experienced by the full-term infant in the immediate neonatal period. The development of jaundice was prospectively investigated in 866 newborns. Significant correlations were found between the serum bilirubin level and the method of birth, perinatal complications, blood group incompatibilities, birth weight, and method of feeding. Breast-feeding was highly related to the development of exaggerated jaundice. The most common occurrence of jaundice requiring phototherapy was in breast-feeding infants in whom no cause for the jaundice could be determined. Study findings were most compatible with a theory of relative caloric deprivation as an explanation of the increased incidence of hyperbilirubinemia found in breast-fed newborns.