Bilirubinaemia of Prematurity

On Haemoglobin Degradation in the Newborn

“…bilirubin) would be produced. Such is the case with most premature infants who require several days for the development of their hepatic transglucuronylase systems (1,32). It would appear, therefore, that an increase in bilirubinaemia (above that of the birth level) at the rate of, say, 3-4 mg./lOO ml.…”

Bilirubin Metabolism in Disease

“…(frequently without jaundice), which begins to decrease on the fourth to sixth day of life, while in most premature infants a more severe degree of hyperbilirubincemia with jaundice develops (Billing et alii, 1954). Judged on a gestational basis, the more premature the infant, the more prolonged is the hyperbilirubincemia (Newns and Norton, 1958;Watson and Maddison, 1962). There are also indications that dietary and other maternal factors related to nationality and colour influence the severity of the jaundice (Shnier and Levin, 1959;Watson and Porter, 1962d).…”