What causes neonatal jaundice?

Neonatal jaundice is mostly caused by the immature liver's inability to process bilirubin, and may also be related to maternal and fetal blood type incompatibility, infection, genetic diseases, etc. Jaundice is divided into physiological and pathological types, and needs to be treated individually according to the cause, such as close observation, phototherapy, exchange transfusion therapy, etc.

1 Physiological reasons

The most common cause of neonatal jaundice is physiological jaundice. This condition often occurs 2-3 days after birth, when the neonatal liver enzyme system is not yet mature and cannot quickly metabolize bilirubin in the body. Because the life span of newborn red blood cells is short and the fragmentation rate is high, the indirect bilirubin accumulation causes the skin and sclera to turn yellow. Normally, physiological jaundice will disappear on its own within 7-14 days after birth. No special treatment is required for full-term infants, and records and observations are sufficient. However, if it is a premature baby, it may last longer and needs to be closely monitored.

2 Pathological causes

Pathological jaundice usually requires more attention and may be related to the following aspects:

Incompatibility of blood types between mother and baby: ABO blood type or Rh factor incompatibility can cause neonatal hemolysis, and a large amount of bilirubin is released after the red blood cells are destroyed.

Infection: Intrauterine infection or neonatal infection such as neonatal sepsis may cause liver damage and affect bilirubin metabolism.

Genetic diseases: such as glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase G6PD deficiency, hypothyroidism, etc., may affect bilirubin metabolism.

The above situations may cause a rapid increase in bilirubin in the blood. In this case, you need to seek medical attention as soon as possible to avoid complications such as bilirubin encephalopathy and kernicterus.

3 Treatment measures

Treatment should be individualized based on the cause and severity of jaundice:

Physiological jaundice: No special treatment is required. Feeding on demand and increasing the frequency of bowel movements will help excrete bilirubin.

Phototherapy: It breaks down bilirubin through blue light irradiation. It is suitable for cases with high bilirubin levels but have not yet reached the standard for blood transfusion.

Exchange transfusion: For severe jaundice caused by blood incompatibility or hemolysis, exchange transfusion is needed to lower bilirubin levels, usually in the neonatal intensive care unit.

4 Things to note in life

Start breastfeeding as early as possible and develop the habit of feeding on demand. Breastfed newborns can be fed multiple times to promote meconium excretion. Regular jaundice monitoring is also key, especially for premature infants and other high-risk groups. If jaundice persists for too long or significantly worsens, do not ignore it. Seemingly simple problems may hide complex causes.

Neonatal jaundice can be a normal phenomenon or a sign of disease. Parents should pay more attention to observation and seek medical treatment in time to identify the specific cause and take effective treatment. At the same time, try to ensure that the newborn starts breastfeeding as early as possible and is fed properly.