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Introduction

gestational age. There is a need for more uniform, evidence-based practice, and for consensus-
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based practice where such evidence is lacking, hence the importance of this guideline.

2.2 Aim of the guideline

Clinical guidelines have been defined as ‘systematically developed statements which assist
clinicians and patients in making decisions about appropriate treatment for specific conditions’.
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This clinical guideline concerns the management of neonatal jaundice in babies from birth up to
28 days of age.
This guideline has been developed with the aim of providing guidance on:
● recognition and assessment
● prediction of later significant hyperbilirubinaemia and adverse sequelae
● treatment
● information and education for parents/carers of babies with jaundice.

2.3 Areas outside the remit of the guideline

This guideline does not address:
● primary prevention of jaundice
● jaundice that requires surgical treatment to correct the underlying cause
● management of babies with conjugated hyperbilirubinaemia, although we consider the
importance of identifying conjugated hyperbilirubinaemia.

2.4 Who has developed the guideline

The guidance was developed by a multi-professional and lay working group (the Guideline
Development Group or GDG) convened by the National Collaborating Centre for Women's and
Children's Health (NCC-WCH). Membership included:
● two neonatologists (one as Chair)
● two midwives
● one general practitioner
● one paediatrician
● one pathologist
● one specialist nurse
● one community nurse
● one health visitor
● two patient/carer members.
Staff from the NCC-WCH provided methodological support for the guidance development
process, undertook systematic searches, retrieved and appraised the evidence, and wrote
successive drafts of the guidance.
One external adviser was appointed by the GDG to advise on pharmacological interventions.
All GDG members' and external advisers' potential and actual conflicts of interest were
recorded on declaration forms provided by NICE (summarised in Appendix B). None of the
interests declared by GDG members constituted a material conflict of interest that would
influence recommendations developed by the GDG.

2.5 Related NICE guidance

● Diabetes in pregnancy: management of diabetes and its complications from pre-conception to
the postnatal period. NICE clinical guideline 63 (2008). Available from
www.nice.org.uk/CG63
● Antenatal care: routine care for the healthy pregnant woman. NICE clinical guideline 62
(2008). Available from www.nice.org.uk/CG62

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