The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on phototherapy usage for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.

OBJECTIVE

We compare the frequency of subthreshold phototherapy administered to infants whose bilirubin levels are below the AAP threshold, among infants ≥38 weeks of gestation born before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

STUDY

DESIGN

This retrospective cohort study examined infants admitted March 2018-February 2022 to two urban university-affiliated hospital nurseries using electronic health record data.

RESULTS

Infants born during COVID were more likely to receive subthreshold phototherapy, any phototherapy, and serum bilirubin measurements, and had a shorter nursery length of stay compared to infants born before COVID. The effect of COVID on subthreshold phototherapy is highest in infants born to Hispanic/Latinx mothers and almost absent in infants born to white mothers.

CONCLUSION

Subthreshold phototherapy use increased in infants born during the COVID pandemic.