The Risk of Hyperbiliary Rubinemia in Newborns

Risk factors for hyperbiliary rubinemia include prematurity, hemolytic disease of the newborn and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. American Academy of Pediatrics recommends obtaining total serum bilirubin in all infants born 35 weeks gestational age or greater between 24 to 48 hours of life or before hospital discharge. Phototherapy is light in the blue-green spectrum through use of fluorescent or halogen bulbs, LED and fiber optic sources.