The causes of severe jaundice and its complications in newborns admitted to Mofid Children’s Hospital

Jaundice is one of the most common causes of hospitalization in newborns. The aim of the present study was to determine the causes of severe jaundice and its complications in neonates admitted to Mofid Children’s Hospital of Tehran.

Sixty- five neonates with severe indirect hyperbilirubinemia, admitted to the Neonatal ward of the Mofid Children’s Hospital during the years 2018-2019 were investigated. Laboratory data, family socioeconomic status, parental awareness of jaundice and its consequences, neonatal delivery information and their prenatal conditions were collected during hospitalization. The neonates were followed up after discharge from the hospital for complications of jaundice by telephone calls and clinic referrals.

In the 22 cases (33.8%) of the neonates, the ABO setup, and in the 4 cases (6.2%), the Rh setup between the mother and neonate were observed. A total of 25 neonates (38.5%) had an average of 1.2 times of blood transfusion. Twenty-four neonates (36.9%) had bilirubin level of ≥25 mg/dl. There was a significant relationship between total bilirubin level and delivery type (P <0.05) and between total bilirubin level and type of prenatal care (P = 0.031). No complications of jaundice were reported during patient follow-up.

Male gender, vaginal delivery, family delay in diagnosis and treatment of jaundice, positive history of jaundice in a previous child, and prenatal care by someone other than a gynecologist are associated with more severe hyperbilirubinemia.