Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Canadian Medical Association Journal logoLink to Canadian Medical Association Journal
. 1982 Nov 15;127(10):985–989.

Serum bilirubin levels in breast- and formula-fed infants in the first 5 days of life.

S Saigal, O Lunyk, K J Bennett, M C Patterson
PMCID: PMC1862287  PMID: 7139449

Abstract

A prospective study was conducted in a level II maternity unit to investigate the incidence of hyperbilirubinemia in healthy, term, breast-fed and formula-fed infants. Serum bilirubin levels were determined for 176 breast-red and 164 formula-fed infants in cord blood and on days 1, 2, 3 and 5 after birth. The mean total bilirubin levels were significantly higher on each postnatal day in the breast-fed infants, as was the proportion of infants with peak levels above 12 mg/dl (205 mumol/l; 28% v. 6%). The breast-fed infants also had significantly higher proportional weight losses on each postnatal day than the formula-fed infants. However, there was no correlation between the cumulative weight loss on day 3 and bilirubin levels on the same day with either feeding regimen. None of the infants required an exchange transfusion or prolonged care in hospital for hyperbilirubinemia.

Full text

PDF
985

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Beazley J. M., Alderman B. Neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia following the use of oxytocin in labour. Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1975 Apr;82(4):265–271. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1975.tb00632.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Butler J. E. Immunologic aspects of breast feeding, antiinfectious activity of breast milk. Semin Perinatol. 1979 Jul;3(3):255–270. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Campbell N., Harvey D., Norman A. P. Increased frequency of neonatal jaundice in a maternity hospital. Br Med J. 1975 Jun 7;2(5970):548–552. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5970.548. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Chalmers I., Campbell H., Turnbull A. C. Use of oxytocin and incidence of neonatal jaundice. Br Med J. 1975 Apr 19;2(5963):116–118. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5963.116. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Culley P., Powell J., Waterhouse J., Wood B. Sequelae of neonatal jaundice. Br Med J. 1970 Aug 15;3(5719):383–386. doi: 10.1136/bmj.3.5719.383. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Cunningham A. S. Morbidity in breast-fed and artificially fed infants. J Pediatr. 1977 May;90(5):726–729. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(77)81236-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Dahms B. B., Krauss A. N., Gartner L. M., Klain D. B., Soodalter J., Auld P. A. Breast feeding and serum bilirubin values during the first 4 days of life. J Pediatr. 1973 Dec;83(6):1049–1054. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(73)80549-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Doan H. M., Keith L., Shennan A. T. Phenol and neonatal jaundice. Pediatrics. 1979 Sep;64(3):324–325. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Dobson V., Cowett R. M., Riggs L. A. Long-term effect of phototherapy on visual function. J Pediatr. 1975 Apr;86(4):555–559. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(75)80146-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Drew J. H., Kitchen W. H. The effect of maternally administered drugs on bilirubin concentrations in the newborn infant. J Pediatr. 1976 Oct;89(4):657–661. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(76)80413-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Drew J. H., Marriage K., Bayle V. V., Bajraszewski E., McNammara J. M. Phototherapy. Short and long-term complications. Arch Dis Child. 1976 Jun;51(6):454–458. doi: 10.1136/adc.51.6.454. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Effer S. B. Biochemical and biophysical indices of fetal risk. Clin Perinatol. 1974 Mar;1(1):161–172. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Klaus M. H., Jerauld R., Kreger N. C., McAlpine W., Steffa M., Kennel J. H. Maternal attachment. Importance of the first post-partum days. N Engl J Med. 1972 Mar 2;286(9):460–463. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197203022860904. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. LEWI S., WALTER P., CLARKE T. K. ALLAITEMENT MATERNEL ET HYPERBILIRUBIN'EMIE DU NOUVEAU-N'E. ETUDE DE 51 PAIRES D'ENFANTS. Biol Neonat. 1964;7:294–304. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Lozoff B., Brittenham G. M., Trause M. A., Kennell J. H., Klaus M. H. The mother-newborn relationship: limits of adaptability. J Pediatr. 1977 Jul;91(1):1–12. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(77)80433-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Martinez G. A., Nalezienski J. P. 1980 update: the recent trend in breast-feeding. Pediatrics. 1981 Feb;67(2):260–263. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Necheles T. F., Rai U. S., Valaes T. The role of haemolysis in neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia as reflected in carboxyhaemoglobin levels. Acta Paediatr Scand. 1976 May;65(3):361–367. doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1976.tb04898.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Newton N. The uniqueness of human milk. Psychological differences between breast and bottle feeding. Am J Clin Nutr. 1971 Aug;24(8):993–1004. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/24.8.993. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Oseid B. Breast-feeding and infant health. Semin Perinatol. 1979 Jul;3(3):249–254. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Poland R. L. Breast-milk jaundice. J Pediatr. 1981 Jul;99(1):86–88. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(81)80963-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Poland R. L., Odell G. B. Physiologic jaundice: the enterohepatic circulation of bilirubin. N Engl J Med. 1971 Jan 7;284(1):1–6. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197101072840101. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Postl B. D., Nelson N., Carson J. Hyperbilirubinemia in Inuit neonates. Can Med Assoc J. 1982 Apr 1;126(7):811–813. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Risemberg H. M., Mazzi E., MacDonald M. G., Peralta M., Heldrich F. Correlation of cord bilirubin levels with hyperbilirubinaemia in ABO incompatibility. Arch Dis Child. 1977 Mar;52(3):219–222. doi: 10.1136/adc.52.3.219. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Rubin R. A., Balow B., Fisch R. O. Neonatal serum bilirubin levels related to cognitive development at ages 4 through 7 years. J Pediatr. 1979 Apr;94(4):601–604. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(79)80022-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Scheidt P. C., Mellits E. D., Hardy J. B., Drage J. S., Boggs T. R. Toxicity to bilirubin in neonates: infant development during first year in relation to maximum neonatal serum bilirubin concentration. J Pediatr. 1977 Aug;91(2):292–297. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(77)80835-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Usher R., McLean F. Intrauterine growth of live-born Caucasian infants at sea level: standards obtained from measurements in 7 dimensions of infants born between 25 and 44 weeks of gestation. J Pediatr. 1969 Jun;74(6):901–910. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(69)80224-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. WOOD B. S., CULLEY P. E., WATERHOUSE J. A., POWELL D. J. Factors influencing neonatal jaundice. Arch Dis Child. 1962 Aug;37:371–377. doi: 10.1136/adc.37.194.371. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Wong Y. K., Wood B. S. Breast-milk jaundice and oral contraceptives. Br Med J. 1971 Nov 13;4(5784):403–404. doi: 10.1136/bmj.4.5784.403. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Wood B., Culley P., Roginski C., Powell J., Waterhouse J. Factors affecting neonatal jaundice. Arch Dis Child. 1979 Feb;54(2):111–115. doi: 10.1136/adc.54.2.111. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Canadian Medical Association Journal are provided here courtesy of Canadian Medical Association

RESOURCES