Effect of maternal risk factors in the incidence of neonatal jaundice

  Introduction :Jaundice is the most common cause of hospitalization of infants in the first month of life. Delivery and maternal and neonatal risk factors may affect the progression of complications of jaundice. This study aimed to investigate the problems of pregnancy and delivery in neonates with jaundice.
Methods: This descriptive study was performed on 2796 full term 3 to 29 day infants with jaundice in Ghaem hospital in Mashhad during the 2003 to 2012. After confirming the diagnosis of jaundice in newborns, according to pediatrician and laboratory results, a questionnaire containing maternal demographic information, neonatal characteristics, maternal complications during pregnancy and delivery were completed. Data was analyzed using the T-Test, Chi-square with spss software .
Results: Of the 2796 term infants with jaundice 21% of newborns with jaundice had a history of pregnancy problems and 79% had a history of normal pregnancy. The most frequent problems in the history of pregnancy was hypertension (4.7%), vaginal bleeding (3.3%), diabetes (2.78%), premature rupture of membrane (2.7%) and urinary tract infection (0.8%). 57% of infants with a history of pregnancy complications had cesarean section delivery and 43% of them had vaginal delivery.
Conclusion: The study results showed that pregnancy problems including vaginal bleeding, hypertension, diabetes, premature rupture of membrane, urinary tract infection, and also cesarean delivery is associated with neonatal jaundice. So if these problems occur in pregnancy, should be followed neonates in terms of jaundice.