While neonatal jaundice – or hyperbilirubinemia – occurs in almost all babies, it is a cause of concern for caregivers and anxiety for families. If not treated in time, neonatal jaundice can lead to permanent brain damage1.

Screening for jaundice by visual assessment can lead to an overestimation of risk, which means unnecessary lab tests. This blood draw (total serum bilirubin testing (TsB)) requires a heel prick, which is painful for the baby and costly for the hospital. Visual assessment can also lead to an underestimation of risk, which could result in a failure to obtain necessary lab tests.

That’s why transcutaneous bilirubin testing (TcB) has grown rapidly in the past few years as a standard practice in hospitals to identify at-risk infants. But even TcB has presented challenges in terms of human error and time consumption. Until now.

Manufacturing Company: Dräger