Serum enzymes and bilirubin in neonates after normal or complicated delivery

318 newborn babies were studied at term and after various complications of pregnancy or delivery for serum total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), asparate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD). The total bilirubin levels tended to be lower in infants born after various complications of pregnancy or delivery than at term. The mean activity of ALP in the infants was not different from that of normal adults. Its activity decreased by the 5th day of life and was lower in the fetal distress group. The AST activity was much wider than the adult range but ALT activity did not differ from the adult level.