Introduction
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Jaundice is the most common clinical condition in the newborn period that requires medical attention. 50-60% of term newborns and 80% of prematures become clinically jaundiced. Infants of Asian and American Indian descent are more likely to develop jaundice, African-American infants less so. Infants living at high altitudes have a higher incidence of jaundice.
In the vast majority of cases, jaundice is transient, mild and self-limited, needing no intervention. However a small number of babies develop significant, sustained hyperbilirubinemia. Although there is some evidence pointing to a beneficial metabolic role for bilirubin, significantly elevated levels have unquestionably been implicated in neuronal damage, although not necessarily in a causative role. The challenge facing the pediatrician then is to determine the "safe" level of bilirubin for any particular baby.
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