Bengaluru-based startup GenWorks has launched Billicare, a non-invasive (there are no needles or pins to draw blood) technology that measures bilirubin levels by placing a clip on the baby's ears.
Newborn jaundice is a medical condition that can lead to brain damage if not identified and treated immediately. The condition is so common in India that doctors declare a ‘yellow alert’ (as the skin of babies with jaundice turns yellow) as soon as a baby is born to ensure regular monitoring for the first two weeks.
Babies suspected of jaundice are measured using Billicare and then placed under a blue light for a specific period of time as a part of the treatment. The procedure is known as phototherapy. The best thing about Billicare is that it gives the most accurate results after a phototherapy session on whether there is any change in the texture of a baby’s skin. The accuracy of Billicare is much higher than any other competitive brand.
A study published in the Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine to find out the accuracy of Billicare showed “good performance with positive bias for the screening of jaundice in healthy late preterm or term infants.”
