ABSTRACT
Objective: to determine the frequency of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in the etiology of neonatal jaundice
Material and Methods: this descriptive study was conducted at the Paediatrics Department, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar from March 2001 to December 2001. All full term newborns with significant jaundice were included, Serum bilirubin level, mother and baby blood group, coomb's test and G6PD enzyme estimation using sigma diagnostic G6Pd reagent were done in all babies
Results: out of 150 icteric newborns, 14% were deficient in G6PD. 90.5% were male and rest were female. No specific precipitating factor for hemolysis was found. The most common age of appearance of jaundice was within the first 48 hours of life. Serum indirect bilirubin level ranged from 9.4 to 40mg%. All G6PD deficient babies receive phototherapy while in 11 babies, exchange transfusion was performed
Conclusion: G6PD deficiency is one of the common causes of neonatal jaundice. Hence, all jaundiced neonates should be screened for G6PD deficiency