Why do newborn babies have symptoms of jaundice?

Symptoms of jaundice in newborns are mostly due to abnormal bilirubin metabolism, which may be caused by physiological factors, incompatibility of blood types between mother and baby, immature liver function or other diseases. Parents need to pay attention to the degree of jaundice. If the symptoms are severe, they should seek medical attention in time to avoid delaying treatment.

1. Normal physiological factors

After birth, the red blood cells of newborns are renewed quickly, and the immature liver cannot quickly process the excess bilirubin, which leads to physiological jaundice. This jaundice usually appears 2-3 days after birth, reaches its peak 4-5 days, and usually disappears on its own within 7-10 days. Premature infants may last for more than 2 weeks. No special intervention is required, but you can feed your baby more milk, increase urination and defecation, and help metabolize bilirubin.

2. Incompatibility of blood types between mother and baby

If the mother has type O blood and the baby has type A or B blood, it is easy to cause blood type incompatibility between mother and baby, which can lead to neonatal hemolysis. This situation can cause a significant increase in bilirubin levels and cause more severe jaundice. Potential risks can be detected through prenatal examinations. If the baby is diagnosed after birth, phototherapy, exchange transfusion therapy and other measures can be taken in time to reduce bilirubin levels.

3. Biliary obstruction or hepatobiliary disease

Some newborns may have jaundice that worsens due to abnormal development of the bile duct, such as biliary atresia, or congenital liver disease that leads to poor bilirubin excretion. Such children usually have jaundice for more than 2 weeks, accompanied by lighter stool color. They should seek medical attention as soon as possible, and if necessary, undergo B-ultrasound, blood tests, and other tests to determine the cause and then implement medication or surgery.

4. Infection or other diseases

In some cases, jaundice is caused by infectious diseases such as sepsis, hepatitis B, or metabolic diseases such as hypothyroidism. The solution requires treatment of the cause, such as anti-infective treatment, hormone therapy, etc. At the same time, strengthen newborn care to improve immunity.

Although neonatal jaundice is common, parents need to distinguish between physiological and pathological jaundice. If jaundice lasts too long, the skin or sclera darkens significantly, or is accompanied by symptoms such as drowsiness, abnormal crying, and poor feeding, the baby should be taken to the hospital for examination as soon as possible to determine the cause and receive timely treatment.