Roles of Probiotics in Reduction of Neonatal Jaundice in Term Newborns.

OBJECTIVE

the primary objective was to examine the effect of Bifidobacterium on decreasing the bilirubin level in term neonates delivered by Caesarean Section (CS).

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

A total of 153 healthy term neonates delivered by CS were included in this study and were divided into the non-probiotic group (n=99) and probiotic group (n=54) based on the history of probiotics administration. There were no infants who underwent phototherapy. A total of 20 doses of probiotics were given orally from the first day of life. The transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) levels were measured every day for the first 5 days of life. Data of each infant and mother were gathered from medical records.

RESULTS

The bilirubin level per day (day-1 to day-5) in the non-probiotic group was no different from the probiotic group. Differences in bilirubin level between day-5 and day-1, and also between day-5 and day-2 were not different between the two groups. There was a significant (p = 0.03) body weight gain in the probiotic groups with a mean of 36.09 ± 8.23 gram/day. No obvious adverse reactions were seen in both the non-probiotic group and probiotic group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest no significant effects of probiotics on lowering bilirubin levels in the first five days of life. Also, probiotics have a positive effect on body weight gain in healthy term infants, and it is safe to be given to newborns.