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Abstract
Background Neonatal jaundice (NNJ) is a frequent complication of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency.
Objectives To estimate the prevalence of G6PD deficiency among neonates with jaundice and to assess mothers’ perception towards G6PD and NNJ.
Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out on 487 ethnic Egyptian neonates with indirect hyperbilirubinaemia from June 2018 to July 2019. The collected data included maternal and neonatal characteristics. Laboratory investigations included serum bilirubin, reticulocyte count, ABO grouping, Rh typing and neonatal serum G6PD test. Mothers were interviewed individually using a structured, researcher-administered questionnaire to assess their perceptions of G6PD deficiency and NNJ.
Results The prevalence of G6PD deficiency was 10.10%. Neonates with G6PD deficiency showed higher levels of serum bilirubin (p<0.001). Male gender, family history of G6PD deficiency and consanguinity were risk factors for G6PD deficiency (OR=4.27, 95% CI 1.66 - 10.99; OR=9.54, 95% CI 4.80- 18.95; OR=10.219, 95% CI 5.39 - 19.33, respectively). Mothers’ perceptions of NNJ and G6PD were low, with only 30% having good knowledge on NNJ and 17.10% on G6PD deficiency, 46.8% with positive attitude towards NNJ and 45.0% towards G6PD deficiency, and 29.9% with good practice towards NNJ and 19.9% towards G6PD deficiency.
Conclusion G6PD deficiency seems to be an important cause of NNJ. Mothers’ perceptions of both NNJ and G6PD deficiency were low. A mass health education programme on both of these diseases is needed to ensure better and early detection, good timing of treatment, and better prevention of the triggering factors to ensure better health for children.
- epidemiology
- public health
- community child health
- family medicine
- G6PD
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Footnotes
Contributors All persons who meet the authorship criteria are listed as authors, and all authors certify that they have participated sufficiently in the work to take public responsibility for the content, including participation in the concept, design, analysis, writing or revision of the manuscript. ZK conceived the idea, performed the statistical analysis, wrote the methodology and results sections, and was responsible for final revision and publishing. SHA, a family physician, wrote the manuscript and was responsible for its revision. WB, a paediatrician, received, diagnosed and collected the data. SMEH performed the lab investigations. The entire team arranged a health education session to provide explanation for both diseases in all aspects.
Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Competing interests None declared.
Patient consent for publication Not required.
Ethics approval The Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the Menoufia Faculty of Medicine approved the study. Research work was performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. A written patient consent was taken from the parents and caregivers after explaining all aspects of the study, with the right to withdraw at any time.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
Data availability statement Data are available upon reasonable request. All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplementary information. Data are available on request by email (zeinabkasemy@yahoo.com).