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Abstract Neonatal jaundice is a term which means yellow discoloration of skin, mucous membrane and other tissues caused by deposition of bilirubin. Phototherapy is now the preferred method of treatment of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia by virtue of its non invasive nature and its relative freedom from major complications. It is also convenient, easy to use, and inexpensive in terms of personnel, equipment, and disposals. One possible harmful consequence of phototherapy is genetic in nature, as the high fluencies of light used in phototherapy induces DNA strand breaks,sister chromatid exchanges and mutations. The aim of our study is to assess if there is a genotoxic effect of phototherapy in the form of DNA damage in neonates treated with phototherapy due their indirect hyperbilirubinemia and the relation of this damage if present to the severity of hyperbilirubinemia and the exposure to phototherapy and if this damage is persistant or transient, using DNA fragmentation assay technique. This study was carried out on (122) neonate selected from neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and neonatal out-patient clinic of menoufiya university hospital.These neonates were subdivided into three groups as follow: 1-Group of physiological hyperbilirubinemia: this group included 30 neonate having jaundice appearing after the first day with total serum bilirubin level <13 mg/dl on the second day of life i.e physiologic jaundice. 2-Group of pathological hyperbilirubinemia: this group included 62 neonate, having jaundice on the first day of life or total serum |