Background: Neonatal jaundice is a major neonatal health hazard and this calls for the importance of studying effective treatment for it.
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of phototherapy, oral zinc salts and agar      on the treatment of neonatal jaundice in term and late-preterm at-risk neonates.
Methods: This study is a prospective randomized clinical trial study included a total of 75 neonates with indirect hyperbilirubinemia during the period from March 2019 to April 2020 who were allocated randomly to 3 groups (n=25 per each): Group (I) included neonates received phototherapy alone, group (II) that included neonates received phototherapy and oral zinc salts and group (III) that included neonates received phototherapy and oral Agar     . Total serum bilirubin (TSB) level was measured on admission, as well as 24, 48, 72 and 84 hours after the intervention. Hospital stay, feeding status, complications and risk factors for neonatal jaundice were assessed.
Results: A significant reduction was recorded in TSB after 24 and 48 hours in all groups and the reduction was more significant in neonates of group (II) who received oral zinc with phototherapy and group (III) who received agar with phototherapy compared to group (I) who received only phototherapy (p < 0.01). However after 72 and 84 hours, the total serum bilirubin (TSB) levels were almost similar among all groups, but it still continue to decline. Hospital stay duration was significantly shorter (p < 0.01) in the group that received phototherapy and zinc compared to the groups that received phototherapy only and the group that received phototherapy and agar     .
Conclusion: Administration of oral zinc or agar besides phototherapy was safe and can be more effective in the treatment of neonatal Jaundice due to indirect hyperbilirubinemia compared to receiving phototherapy alone.