Serum bilirubin levels in Melanesian neonates.

The pattern of early neonatal serum bilirubin levels in a population of normal fullterm healthy Melanesian babies was determined. The mean (and standard deviation) of cord blood serum bilirubin from 98 babies was 1.2 (1.4) mg/dl (20.5 (23.9) mumol/l). Between 24 and 60 h of age the mean serum bilirubin from 99 babies was 8 (3.5) mg/dl (136.8 (59.85) mumol/l). Seventeen babies excluded from the main study group because of factors known to predispose to neonatal jaundice had a mean serum bilirubin of 10.7 mg/dl (183 mumol/l). In the early neonatal period, Melanesian babies have a mean serum bilirubin level higher than that reported for Caucasian but lower than that reported for Asian babies. Genetic factors are the most likely explanation for these differences.