Early neonatal jaundice assessment uses repeated visual inspection and, when available, transcutaneous bilirubin measurement.
Screening schedule and method
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Visually inspect all neonates for jaundice every 12 hours during the initial 3–5 days of life.
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For screening, transcutaneous bilirubin measurement is preferred to visual assessment when available.
Range of useful estimation
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Correctly performed visual assessment and transcutaneous bilirubin measurement provide a reasonable estimate of total serum bilirubin when its level is below 15 mg/dL.
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The transcutaneous bilirubinometer description gives a fair approximation range when total serum bilirubin is below 13–15 mg/dL.