Question:medium
A term baby on breastfeeding has a serum bilirubin of 14 mg/dL. Which of the following is true?
A term baby on breastfeeding has a serum bilirubin of 14 mg/dL. Which of the following is true?
Show Hint
At 14 mg/dL in a well term baby, is any aggressive therapy due yet?
Updated On: Jun 23, 2026
- Exchange transfusion
- Continue to breastfeed
- Phototherapy
- None
Show Solution
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
Threshold-based reasoning: For a healthy term newborn, phototherapy is usually started when total serum bilirubin is roughly 15 mg/dL or higher (read off the age-in-hours nomogram), and exchange transfusion only at much higher, dangerous levels. Here the value is 14 mg/dL.
Working through the options: Exchange transfusion (option a) is a last-resort move for severe hyperbilirubinemia threatening kernicterus, nowhere near 14 mg/dL. Phototherapy (option c) has not yet crossed its threshold in a well term baby. Stopping feeds is not advised because breast milk supply must be maintained and good feeding actually helps clear bilirubin.
Bottom line: Keep the baby on the breast and increase feed frequency to more than 10 times a day. So continue to breastfeed is the correct answer.
Working through the options: Exchange transfusion (option a) is a last-resort move for severe hyperbilirubinemia threatening kernicterus, nowhere near 14 mg/dL. Phototherapy (option c) has not yet crossed its threshold in a well term baby. Stopping feeds is not advised because breast milk supply must be maintained and good feeding actually helps clear bilirubin.
Bottom line: Keep the baby on the breast and increase feed frequency to more than 10 times a day. So continue to breastfeed is the correct answer.
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