Monitors the liver function of newborns.

The bilirubin test is a blood test to monitor the liver function of newborns. The rapid destruction of red blood cells after birth produces more bilirubin than the infant's liver can handle, causing some jaundice in about 99% of newborns. The bilirubin test, a normal part of a neonatal screen, monitors levels of this substance in the blood of newborns to make sure that normal degrees of jaundice do not become more severe.

For Further Study

Books

McCullough, Virginia. Testing and Your Child: What You Should Know About 150 of the Most Common Medical, Educational, and Psychological Tests. New York: Plume, 1992.

Periodicals

Dundon, Catherine. "Newborn Jaundice." American Baby 59, March 1997, pp. 8+.