Early postpartum visits with pediatricians may help prevent a dangerous complication associated with
jaundice, according to the presentation, “Inadequate Attention Given to Jaundice in Healthy Term Infants during the First Postpartum Week.”
The presentation, which is scheduled for the May 2004 Pediatric Academic Societies’ meeting in San Francisco, is based on the results of a study of more than 4,300 healthy newborns and their mothers nationwide.
The neonatal period is a critical time for mothers and families to be aware of common health concerns, including jaundice (a build-up of bilirubin in the blood), that often arise in their newborns. A majority of babies have some degree of jaundice during their first week of life as their bodies are just learning to remove bilirubin for themselves. This jaundice can also be made worse by difficulty with breastfeeding.
Gaps exist in the education of postpartum mothers regarding jaundice and the recommendations for timely follow-up, in order to monitor and identify those newborns that may develop elevated levels of bilirubin. Although virtually all pediatricians reported discussing follow-up plans with mothers in the hospital, only about 75 percent of mothers recalled being asked to schedule any follow-up visit.
Pediatricians suggested the baby’s first visit be around one week after hospital discharge. But only about half of these visits actually occurred within this recommended timeframe, which is after the expected peak of jaundice in newborns that usually occurs at three to five days of age. Moreover, among the visits that did take place, the pediatrician had concerns of jaundice in 1 of 5 newborns. These pediatricians were more likely to diagnose jaundice in newborns who were being breastfed and whose mothers were first-time parents.