Infant Jaundice
Overview:
Introduction:
Infant jaundice is a common condition, - particularly in babies born before 38 weeks' gestation (preterm babies)- caused by the buildup of of bilirubin in the bloodstream which is a yellow pigment formed by the breakdown of used red blood cells to be replaced by new red blood cells. Bilirubin is filtered in the liver and then it is expelled with the stool.
Other names:
Newborn Jaundice - Icterus - and hyperbilirubinemia.
Causes:
While the fetus is in the womb, the placenta removes the yellow substance (bilirubin) from the body, and after birth, the liver takes over this function. The underdeveloped liver of newborns is not fully functioning yet to efficiently filter bilirubin from the bloodstream resulting in its accumulation. Most babies between two and four days old are naturally yellowish in color, and the amount of the yellow substance in the body does not exceed 200 micromole/liter. This yellowing often disappears within two weeks.
1- Neonatal jaundice: It appears in the first 24 hours of the newborn's life, and is caused by:
2- Prolonged neonatal jaundice: It lasts for more than two weeks, and more than 21 days in preterm infants, and it is caused by:
Symptoms:
The first sign of infant jaundice is yellow skin and eyes the second day after birth.
When to see a doctor:
The infant will be examined within 72 hours of delivery to confirm jaundice, and the doctor must be consulted immediately if the symptoms develop in any of the following ways:
Diagnosis:
Risk factors:
Complications:
When the jaundice lasts more than three weeks, the infant may suffer from the following complications:
Treatment:
Infant jaundice often disappears within two weeks without any treatment, only requiring some observation.Treatment is usually recommended only if tests show that the infant has very high levels of bilirubin in the blood (more than 200 micromole/ liter). There are two main treatments that can be administered at the hospital:
Prevention:
For further information:
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