What is the cause of high jaundice in newborns?

Neonatal jaundice may be caused by physiological or pathological reasons. Appropriate treatment options should be selected according to the cause, such as blue light therapy, immunoglobulin injection or exchange transfusion therapy. You should consult a doctor to make a clear diagnosis and decide whether injections are needed. The following will analyze the causes and treatments of jaundice in detail.

1 Common reasons:

The causes of neonatal jaundice can be divided into two categories: physiological and pathological. Physiological jaundice is caused by the incomplete development of the liver function of the newborn and the insufficient bilirubin metabolism capacity. It usually appears 2-3 days after birth, peaks 4-5 days later and gradually subsides. No special treatment is usually required. Pathological jaundice is related to underlying diseases, may last for a long time, progress rapidly, and requires timely intervention. Its main causes include:

Hereditary hemolytic diseases: such as hereditary spherocytosis or G6PD deficiency, which can lead to increased red blood cell destruction and elevated bilirubin levels.

Incompatibility of blood types between mother and baby: such as ABO or Rh blood type incompatibility, can cause hemolytic disease of the newborn.

Hepatobiliary diseases: such as biliary atresia, infectious hepatitis, etc., affect bile metabolism and cause jaundice.

Infectious factors: Intrauterine infections such as toxoplasmosis, rubella virus or postnatal infections such as bacterial infections can cause jaundice.

2 Treatment methods:

Pathological jaundice requires measures based on the specific cause. The following are common treatments:

Blue light therapy: For moderate jaundice, blue light therapy can effectively break down bilirubin in the skin and help it be excreted from the body. This is the most commonly used treatment for neonatal jaundice.

Injection of immunoglobulin: If jaundice is caused by blood type incompatibility between mother and fetus and hemolysis is severe, immunoglobulin can be injected within 24 hours to prevent further hemolysis by reducing the binding of antibodies to red blood cells.

Exchange transfusion: When bilirubin levels are life-threatening, such as when the precursors to kernicterus appear, exchange transfusion can quickly remove excess bilirubin and hemolytic antibodies from the body.

3Daily care and dietary assistance:

Breastfeeding and increased feeding frequency are recommended to promote neonatal defecation and bilirubin excretion.

Pay attention to the progression of jaundice. If abnormal symptoms such as worsening yellowing of the skin, decreased appetite, weak crying, etc. appear, seek medical attention as soon as possible.

The treatment of neonatal jaundice should be determined according to the specific cause. Pathological jaundice requires intervention as soon as possible to avoid serious complications. If in doubt, the cause should be evaluated and appropriate treatment should be selected under the guidance of a professional physician.