What causes newborn baby jaundice?
A baby born prematurely is more at risk for jaundice. Infection, not getting enough oxygen during birth, and some medicines may increase the baby's risk of jaundice. At birth, babies have a relatively immature liver function. Therefore, jaundice is
present to some degree in almost all newborns. Even the normal destruction of red blood cells by the liver in the newborn infant can cause jaundice. This form of jaundice usually appears between the 2nd and 5th days of life and clears by 2 weeks. It usually causes no problems.
Blood incompatibility ("ABO" incompatibility) is a common cause. It happens when the baby's major blood groups differ from the mother's. The most common group incompatibility is when the baby's blood type is "A", "B", or "AB" and the mother's blood type is "O". The mother can create antibodies to the baby's blood group. Damage to the baby's blood results in high levels of bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is harmless in low levels, but if the levels are very high, injury to the nervous system and brain occur. In most cases this problem is picked up shortly after birth with normal screening of babies who are born from group "O" mothers.
Breast feeding mothers often experience persisting jaundice or jaundice without blood group incompatibilities. There appears to be an association with breast feeding and exaggerated jaundice. There are certain chemicals produced in breast milk which seem to enhance normal jaundice. Breast-feeding jaundice is seen in 5-10% of newborns. It is similar to physiologic jaundice, but bilirubin levels tend to be slightly higher. This occurs when breast-fed babies do not take in enough breast milk and rarely requires treatment.
Sometimes a baby swallows blood during birth. This swallowed blood is broken down in the baby's intestines and absorbed into the bloodstream. Just as the excess blood from a blood clot will cause a rise in serum bilirubin, so will this. |
More information on jaundice
What is jaundice? - Jaundice is Yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes (sclerae), caused by blockage of the intestines. A sign that the liver or bile duct system is not working normally.
What is bilirubin? - Bilirubin is a chemical breakdown product of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is broken down to heme and globin. High level of bilirubin can cause neonatal jaundice, a yellow skin color.
What causes jaundice? - Jaundice is caused by excessive amounts of bilirubin. Jaundice usually is caused by liver dysfunction or blockage of the bile ducts leading from the liver to the small bowel.
What're hemolytic disorders? - The process of red blood cell destruction is called hemolysis, and the diseases that cause it are called hemolytic disorders.
What are the symptoms of jaundice? - Jaundice is the yellow staining of the skin and sclerae (the whites of the eyes) by abnormally high blood levels of the bile pigment, bilirubin.
What conditions can be associated with jaundice? - Jaundice is a symptom of many disorders, which can include viral hepatitis, alcoholism, poisoning, abnormal breakdown of red blood cells or gallbladder disease.
How is jaundice diagnosed? - The diagnosis of jaundice is suggested by the appearance of the patient's eyes and complexion. Disease in the biliary system can be identified by imaging techniques.
What's newborn jaundice? - Normal newborn jaundice is the result of two conditions occurring at the same time - a pre-hepatic and a hepatic source of excess bilirubin.
What're symptoms of newborn jaundice? - Most infants with jaundice show no physical symptoms as the liver starts maturing. In the newborn, jaundice first becomes visible on the face.
What causes newborn baby jaundice? - Breast feeding mothers often experience persisting jaundice or jaundice without blood group incompatibilities. Blood incompatibility is a common cause.
How is jaundice in newborn babies diagnosed? - When a newborn baby shows signs of jaundice, the doctor does a physical examination and blood tests to help determine the cause of the jaundice.
What's the treatment for infant jaundice? - Treatment for infant jaundice is usually unnecessary. It is important to keep the baby well-hydrated and encourage frequent bowel movements by feeding frequently.
What is neonatal jaundice? - Neonatal jaundice (or hyperbilirubinemia) is a higher-than-normal level of bilirubin in the blood. Neonatal jaundice is usually harmless.
What causes neonatal jaundice? - Hyperbilirubinemia can cause jaundice to develop within a few days after birth. Hyperbilirubinemia and jaundice can also be the result of other diseases or conditions.
What are the symptoms of neonatal jaundice? - The signs and symptoms of neonatal jaundice will depend largely on the cause. Extremely high levels of bilirubin in infants may cause kernicterus.
How is neonatal jaundice diagnosed? - The initial diagnosis of hyperbilirubinemia is based on the appearance of jaundice at physical examination.
What's the treatment for neonatal jaundice? - Most cases of newborn jaundice resolve without medical treatment within two to three weeks. Neonatal jaundice is treated by means of phototherapy.
What's obstructive jaundice? - Obstructive jaundice caused by obstruction of the bile ducts. Common causes of obstructive jaundice include gallstones and tumors of the pancreas or bile duct.
What's breastfeeding jaundice? - Breast feeding jaundice is that breast-fed babies with physiologic jaundice generally reach higher levels of total bilirubin compared to formula-fed babies.
What's breast milk jaundice? - Breastmilk jaundice is believed to be caused by a hormone in breastmilk that interferes with the natural elimination of bilirubin. |
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