Cord blood total protein, albumin and bilirubin levels and their relation with the onset and severity of neonatal jaundice

Hemolysis following birth is a normal way of replacing fetal haemoglobin with adult haemoglobin. It is a physiological mechanism. Albumin is the carrier of bilirubin in the blood to the Liver. Hypoalbuminemia leads to lesser availability of albumin to carry Bilirubin thereby increasing the hyperbilirubinemia and increasing chances of Kernicterus. Our study proposes to study the correlation between cord blood Total protein and Albumin levels and the time of onset and the severity of jaundice. 50 term neonates were taken up for the study. Cord blood sample was collected and estimation of bilirubin, total protein and albumin was done. Follow up was done to observe the development of clinical jaundice and its severity. Significant association has been found between cord blood albumin, total protein and bilirubin levels and the tendency to develop neonatal hyperbilirubinemia