VOLUME

This study aimed to explore and compare bilirubin levels and readmissionfor jaundice in neonates who have different frequency of breastfeeding (BFF)during the first two weeks of life.

One-hundred mothers and full-term neonatesrecruited from a University Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand. The transcutaneous bilirubin(TcB) levels of neonates were recorded at 24, 48, and 72 hours after birth. The breastfeedingfrequency (BFF) was recorded every day for a total of 14 consecutive days. There-admission rates for jaundice were obtained by telephone call enquiry on day 6, 9, 12,and 14 after birth. For analysis, the samples were assigned to two groups according totheir mean BFF during the first two weeks of life. The low-BFF group was breastfed< 8 times/day, and the high-BFF group was breastfed ≥ 8 times/day.RESULT: The average bilirubin levels of neonates in the low-BFF group and thehigh-BFF group were 6.74 ± 1.76 mg/dl and 5.31 ± 1.76 mg/dl at 24 hours, 10.95 ± 2.44mg/dl and 8.19 ± 2.40 mg/dl at 48 hours, and 13.34 ± 2.03 mg/dl and 10.60 ± 2.48 mg/dlat 72 hours, respectively. The bilirubin levels and re-admission rates for jaundice ofneonates in the low-BFF group were higher than the high-BFF group with statisticalsignificance (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively).

High-BFF at least eight times/day may help prevent inadequatebreastfeeding jaundice in neonates.

frequency of breastfeeding, BFF, bilirubin levels, re-admission, jaundice inneonates

Received: February 1,2019
Revision received: March 5, 2019
Accepted after revision: March 20, 2019
BKK Med J 2019;15(2): 180-185.
DOI: 10.31524/bkkmedj.2019.09.010