We determined the contribution of haemolysis to the development of hyperbilirubinaemia in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficient neonates and G-6-PD normal controls. Blood carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb), sampled on the third day of life, was measured by gas chromatography, corrected for inhaled carbon monoxide (COHbC), and expressed as a percentage of total haemoglobin concentration (Hb). Serum bilirubin was tested as clinically necessary. 37 non-jaundiced (peak serum total bilirubin (PSTB) < or = 255 mumol/l) and 20 jaundiced (PSTB > or = 257 mumol/l) G-6-PD-deficient neonates were compared to 31 non-jaundiced and 24 jaundiced controls with comparable PSTB values, respectively. COHbC values for the entire G-6-PD deficient group were higher than in the controls (0.75 +/- 0.17% v 0.62 +/- 0.19%, P < 0.001). COHbC and PSTB values did not correlate in the G-6-PD-deficient group (r = 0.15, P > 0.05) but did in the controls (r = 0.58, P < 0.001). COHbC values were increased to a similar extent in the G-6-PD-deficient, non-jaundiced (0.72 +/- 0.16%), the G-6-PD-deficient, jaundiced (0.80 +/- 0.19%) and the control, jaundiced (0.75 +/- 0.18%) subgroups, compared to the control, non-jaundiced subgroup (0.53 +/- 0.13%) (P < 0.05). Although present in G-6-PD deficient neonates, increased haemolysis was not directly related to the PSTB.