چکیده (انگلیسی):

Objective: Jaundice is the most common reason of newborn’s admission to neonatal ward. Many
Iranian families give traditional remedies like sugar water, camel's thorn and flixweed extracts to
breast-fed babies for reducing jaundice. This study investigated the effect of traditional remedies on
idiopathic neonatal jaundice.
Methods: This prospective study has been performed on 336 babies with idiopathic jaundice in a four
year period (2005-2009) at Ghaem hospital, Mashhad, Iran. The babies were divided into two groups.
In case group (n=234) breast-fed babies received no remedy and in control group (n=102),
traditional remedies were given additional to breast milk and the results recorded and compared.
Findings: In the present study significant differences were observed between the two groups in age
of admission (6.8±3.2 vs 9.2±3.7 day, P<0.001), serum bilirubin values (17.8 vs 21.3 mg/dl, P<0.001)
and percent of weight loss (P<0.01). There were no significant differences between the two groups in
birth weight, sex, gestational age and duration of hospitalization, age at jaundice remission,
hematocrit value and maternal factors (age, gestational order, pregnancy and labor
problems)(P>0.05).
Conclusion: Traditional remedies (camel's thorn, flixweed and sugar water) cause more weight loss
and delayed reexamination of newborns leading to increased hyperbilirubinemia. These remedies
may raise pseudo confidence in parents, which postpones reexamination and follow up of the
newborns.