The Role of Nutrition in the Prevention and Management of Neonatal Jaundice in Ghana

Abstract

Despite the well-established importance of nutrition in health and wellness, nutrition’s involvement in the management and prevention of neonatal jaundice varies greatly from one guideline to another, to the extent that some guidelines do not include the role of nutrition in the prevention and management of neonatal jaundice. In addition, mothers typically translate their nutrition knowledge into the care of their babies. Hence, it is prudent for mothers to have the requisite knowledge needed to prevent any health condition, including neonatal jaundice. This study, therefore, sought to investigate and consolidate practices that elucidate the role nutrition plays in the prevention and management of neonatal jaundice in Ghana. The study was a multi-center nested, case-control study involving 120 cases and 120 controls of neonates in three referral hospitals in Ghana. Assessment of nutrition knowledge showed that with regards to the WHO (2004 & 2017) infant feeding recommendations, mothers of babies with neonatal jaundice had a higher nutrition score than mothers with healthy babies. During treatment of neonatal jaundice, babies were mostly fed breastmilk only, and, in a few cases, extra fluids were given if the baby is not exclusively breastfed or there is a risk of dehydration during phototherapy. No probiotic supplements were given, and micronutrient supplementation may or may not be given, depending on the prevailing health conditions of the neonate. It is recommended that further assessment should be carried out to identify the effectiveness of the nutrition education given during antenatal and postnatal education sessions at hospitals, clinics, and health centers. Keywords Breastfeeding, Malnutrition, Neonatal jaundice, nutrition education, World Health Organisation (WHO).