Predictive value of umbilical cord serum bilirubin for subsequent jaundice in healthy term newborns

. Introduction: Jaundice is common in neonatal period and in severe type cause neurotoxicity (Kernicterus), so diagnosis and treatment of severe hyperbilirubinemia is very important. This study investigates the predictive value of umbilical cord serum bilirubin (UCSB) for subsequent jaundice in healthy term newborns. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 341 normal term (gestational age>37 week) and near term (gestational age=35-37 week) from Bandar Abbas Shariati hospital with birth weight above 2500gr were selected randomly. Asphyxia and congenital anomalies cases and those who need resuscitation were excluded from the study. All neonates according to the umbilical cord blood bilirubin level were divided in two groups: UCSB&ge;2 mg/dl and UCSB<2 mg/dl. Then, in 3rd day after birth, all neonates according to total serum bilirubin test swore divided in two groups of TBS<12.9 mg/dl and TBS>12.9 mg/dl. The collected data and demographic characteristics of the cases were analyzed by SPSS-16 using t and Chi-square tests. Results: The results show that the average cord blood serum bilirubin was 2.556&plusmn;0.678 mg/dl and the average for 3rd day after birth was 12.125&plusmn;2.234 in all the cases. Out of 76 neonates with UCSB<2 mg/dl, 69 neonates had TBS<12.9 mg/dl, 3 days after birth and 7 cases had TBS&ge;12.9 mg/dl. Out of 261 neonates with UCSB&ge;2 mg/dl, 150 neonates had TBS<12.9 mg/dl, 3 days after birth and 111 cases had TBS&ge;12.9 mg/dl. There was a significant relationship between umbilical cord serum bilirubin and 3 days after birth bilirubin score (P<0.001). Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, it seems that umbilical cord serum bilirubin can be a predictive value for after birth hyperbilirubinemia in newborns