INCIDENCE AND CAUSES OF NEONATAL JAUNDICE IN A POPULATION OF NORTH EAST INDIA

Abstract

Background: Neonatal jaundice is a common cause of mortality and morbidity in newborn babies and account for up to 60% cases in term and 80% in preterm babies. Studies from different geographical areas should be done to know the causes of hyperbirubinemia properly so that a collective effort can be made to decrease the burden mortality and morbidity associated with it Objectives:To study the incidence and causes of neonatal jaundice in babies admitted in the hospital Methods: It was a hospital based observational study conducted in one of the busiest hospitals of Jorhat over a period of 12 months. Incidence and causes of neonatal jaundice in the babies born in the hospital during the study period were studied. Results: 710 newborns delivered during the study period out of which 439 (61.8%) newborns developed clinical jaundice. 290 (66%) newborns had physiological jaundice and the rest 149 (34%) developed pathological jaundice. Among the 149 babies developing pathological jaundice 87(58.3%) were males and 62(41.6%) were females. Most common cause was ABO incompability(31%) of cases, second was breast feeding jaundice (28%) , third was prematurity (12%) .Other causes were cephalohematoma(1.3%), Rh incompatibility(3.3%) , G6PD deciency(8%), sepsis(4.7%) and in 11.4% babies no denite cause was found. Conclusion: Adequate feeding, preventing premature deliveries, good monitoring of babies with ABO incompability, prematurity, Rh incompability, G6PD deciency can decrease the mortality and morbidity associated with neonatal jaundice.