General characteristics and management of 226 neonates hospitalized with jaundice in our clinics

Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is a common and in most cases benign problem in neonates. If it is not early diagnised and treated free bilirubin is potentially neurotoxic. Sometimes it can cause unwanted deaths and long period neurologic sequclacs, In this study 226 babies who had been diagnised as neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and stayed in our clinic's neonatal unity were, evaluated retrospektively. 155 of the patients were male and 71 of them were female. While 177 of 226 patients were found matur 49 of them were premature. In neonatal hyperbilirubinemia the most common cause was multifaktöryel reasons by the percentage of %23,5 and this was followed by ABO incompability with %17,6, premature %l 1,2 and Rh incompability %9,3. While the avarage begining day of the jaundice was 2,49 days the avarage of applying to the hospital was found as 5,47 days. In the group in which blood incompability was found was noticed to have jaundice earlier and have the bilirubin level higher. It was noticed that the patients applied to the hospital during the hottest months of the summer. While all the patients were applied phototeraphy %50,4 of them was applied exchange transfusion. The rate of exchange transfusion in the group having blood incompability was considerably higher than that of not having it. Among the examined patients having jaundice ones who were born sectionly were found to have applied the hospital earlier and with less bilirubin level. In this group kernikterus was also found less. Kernikterus was found in total 14 patients. Those who were found to have kernikterus was noticed to have applied the hospital later and with a higher bilirubin level. As a result jaundice in neonatal period common and generally benign but if not treated they can be potentiall neurotoxic and early diagnosis of the jaundice and its treatment can prevent the unwanted results such as kernikterus. Therefore it has been noticed that it's necessary to inform the families about the neonatal jaundice before and after born.