Neonatal jaundice and the immigrant population: A comparison study at a low-risk maternity ward
in Norway
Sammanfattning
The aim of this study was to examine differences in distribution of neonatal jaundice by
migration indicators. In this populationbasedstudy at the low-risk maternity ward at Baerum Hospital
in Norway, 11,516 mother-child pairs were enrolled and divided into 7 groups by regions/country of
origin. First registered live birth babies of mothers who gave birth between 1 January 2006
and 31 December 2010 were included. The study found that a total of 769 infants were treated for
neonatal jaundice.
Compared to Norwegians, infants born to mothers from East, Southeast and Central Asia had an
increased risk and African
infants had a decreased risk of neonatal jaundice. Jaundiced infants of African origin were more often
transferred to neonatal
intensive care units. Ethnicity is an important factor affecting the risk of neonatal jaundice requiring
hospitalization in our clinic.
To reduce this risk, parents should be adequately informed about the signs of neonatal jaundice
requiring medical intervention.