RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Serum bilirubin levels in breast- and formula-fed infants in the first 5 days of life
JF Canadian Medical Association Journal
JO CMAJ
FD Canadian Medical Association
SP 985
OP 989
VO 127
IS 10
A1 S. Saigal
A1 O. Lunyk
A1 K. J. Bennett
A1 M. C. Patterson
YR 1982
UL http://www.cmaj.ca/content/127/10/985.abstract
AB 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.