Bilirubin is a waste product produced from the breakdown of haem. A high cord blood bilirubin concentration in neonates may be predictive of the development of clinically significant jaundice.
Neonatal jaundice is common, although physiological (benign) jaundice does not develop until >24 hours of life. Jaundice at birth (reflected by an elevated cord blood bilirubin) is indicative of a pathological cause and warrants further investigation.
There is some evidence that even relatively mild elevations of cord blood bilirubin at birth may indicate a higher risk of requiring phototherapy in the coming days.
