title: Hyperbilirubinemia and bilirubin toxicity in the late preterm infant.
abstract: Late preterm gestation is an important risk factor for the development of severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and kernicterus. An exaggerated hepatic immaturity contributes to the greater prevalence, severity, and duration of neonatal jaundice in late preterm infants. Breast milk feeding is almost uniformly present and large for gestational age status, male sex, and G6PD deficiency are over-represented among that cohort of late preterm infants with kernicterus. Attention to screening measures for jaundice in the newborn nursery, the provision of lactation support, parental education, timely postdischarge follow-up, and appropriate treatment when clinically indicated should help to reduce the risk of late preterm neonates developing severe neonatal jaundice or kernicterus.
authors.affiliation: Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. jwatchko@mail.magee.edu
authors.forename: Jon F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Watchko
mesh_terms: D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000009:adverse effects; D005865:Gestational Age; D005955:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D051556:Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D007647:Kernicterus / Q000209:etiology; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous