Now Newborn Jaundice Can Be Detected By Placing A Clip On The Baby's Ears

Newborn jaundice shouldn't not to be taken lightly. If not identified and treated immediately, it can lead to brain damage. Yellow skin is a classic sign of jaundice. High bilirubin levels in the blood also indicates jaundice. Bilirubin is the yellow substance the body creates when red blood cells break down. Traditionally, doctors collect blood samples from suspected babies using needles or pins to assess bilirubin levels. Not only this testing process is painful, but also takes time. The good news is that bilirubin levels can now be measured just by placing a clip on the baby's ears. Yes, you heard it right!

GenWorks, a digital medical and healthcare solution provider, has launched a non-invasive technology to measure bilirubin levels. Called Billicare, the innovative technology only requires placing a clip on the baby's ears and you get the results in less than 30 seconds. The company claims that diagnosis is very accurate.

A study done to find out the accuracy of Billicare showed "good performance with positive bias for the screening of jaundice in healthy late preterm or term infants." The results have been published in the Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, GenWorks stated in a release.

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Babies suspected of jaundice are then given phototherapy, wherein the baby is placed under a blue light for a specific period. The developer claims that Billicare gives very accurate results after a phototherapy session on whether there is any change in the texture of a baby's skin.

Prevalence of newborn jaundice in India

Newborn jaundice is quite common in India. Considering its high prevalence and the risks associated with the condition, doctors in India declare a 'yellow alert' as soon as a baby is born to ensure regular monitoring for the first two weeks and check if their skin turns yellow.

Nearly 30 to 50 per cent of the babies develop jaundice within 10 days of being born, according to Dr Prashanth Gowda, neonatologist and paediatrician, Motherhood Hospital, Bengaluru.

What causes jaundice? This happens when bilirubin buildup in a baby's blood, said Dr Gowda.

He explained: For accurate diagnosis, blood samples of suspected babies are collected and sent to labs to assess bilirubin levels. But this takes time, and jaundice can't wait. Jaundice will increase every hour if left untreated, aggravating the health risk for a baby.

Talking about Billicare, Dr Gowda stated that the entire procedure takes less than 30 seconds and involves just three steps: switching on the machine, feeding the patient data and placing it on the baby's earlobe.

Ganesh Prasad, Founder, MD & CEO GenWorks Health, they are working towards providing the best-in-class technology for newborn care.

Jaundice in Newborn