Assessment of knowledge on causes and care of neonatal jaundice at the Nigerian primary and secondary health institutions

Neonatal jaundice which is yellow coloration of the skin and sclera in newborns from the accumulation of unconjugated bilirubin occurs in most newborn infants and it is the most common condition that requires medical attention in newborns. Most jaundice is benign (physiological) and usually need no treatment as it resolves within two weeks. However, the diagnosis of physiological jaundice is retrospective because sometimes jaundice can start with bilirubin in the physiological range and then escalate or become prolonged or show signs of cholestasis. 1 More importantly is the neurotoxicity (acute bilirubin encephalopathy) or death in newborns and lifelong neurologic sequelae in infants who survive (kernicterus) from excessive rise of unconjugated bilirubin. For these reasons, newborn infants with jaundice must be identified ABSTRACT