What is the cause of high jaundice in newborns?

Neonatal jaundice is usually caused by the accumulation of bilirubin in the body. The reasons may include physiological factors, incompatibility of blood types between mother and baby, infection or other diseases, etc. Timely treatment measures need to be taken according to the situation to avoid possible complications.

1. Physiological jaundice

Most neonatal jaundice is physiological jaundice, which is because the liver function of the newborn is not fully developed, resulting in a weak ability to process bilirubin. Physiological jaundice usually appears 2-3 days after birth and gradually disappears within 7-10 days. No special treatment is required, but parents need to pay attention to the disappearance of the baby's jaundice. If jaundice persists for too long, you may need to consult

2. Incompatibility of blood types between mother and baby

Incompatibility of maternal and fetal blood types, such as ABO hemolysis or Rh hemolysis, can cause pathological jaundice in newborns. Antibodies attack the red blood cells of newborns, causing hemolysis and accelerating bilirubin production. In this case, jaundice is usually obvious within 24 hours of birth and may be accompanied by anemia. Treatments include phototherapy, exchange transfusion, immunoglobulin infusion, etc.

3. Infection or other diseases

Neonatal infections such as sepsis, biliary obstruction or inherited metabolic diseases such as glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and Crigler-Najjar syndrome may lead to increased jaundice. Such pathological conditions require targeted examinations and treatments under the guidance of a doctor, such as anti-infection treatment, surgical treatment of biliary problems or medication to control metabolic abnormalities.

4. Improper feeding and breast milk jaundice

Insufficient feeding of the baby may hinder the excretion of bilirubin, leading to worsening jaundice. In such cases, increasing the frequency of feeding or supplementing the amount of milk can effectively alleviate the problem. Breast milk jaundice may be related to specific substances in breast milk. Generally, it does not affect the baby's health, but the severity needs to be assessed by a doctor.

Neonatal jaundice should not be ignored. Parents should closely observe the baby's changes, detect abnormal conditions as early as possible and seek medical attention in time. Under the guidance of a doctor, a treatment plan should be developed so that both physiological and pathological jaundice can be properly managed.