Phototherapy uses lightwaves to treat certain skin conditions. The skin is exposed to an ultraviolet (UV) light for a set amount of time. Phototherapy uses a man-made source of UV light. UV light also comes from the sun. When combined with a medication called psoralen, the procedure is known as psoralen UVA (PUVA).

A retrospective study was conducted on neonates born from January 2021-June 2022, excluding those with specific conditions. Evaluated factors included GA, birth weight, bilirubin levels, Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, and feeding type, with phototherapy given as per AAP guidelines. Of 1085 neonates, 356 met the criteria. When stratifying the neonates based on the need for phototherapy, a higher proportion of early-term neonates required phototherapy compared to full-term (p < 0.05). After factoring in various risks (GA; birth weight; gender; feeding type; G6PD deficiency; transcutaneous bilirubin levels at 24 h and 24-48 h postpartum; maternal diabetes; and the presence of caput succedaneum or cephalohematoma), early-term neonates were more likely to need phototherapy than full-term babies (OR: 2.15, 95% CI: 1.21 to 3.80). The optimal cut-off for transcutaneous bilirubin levels 24-48 h postpartum that were used to predict phototherapy need was 9.85 mg/dl. In conclusion, early-term neonates are at a greater risk for developing jaundice and requiring phototherapy than full-term neonates. Monitoring bilirubin 24-48 h postpartum enhances early prediction and intervention ¹⁾.