Jaundice in Newborns: Why It Happens and How it’s Treated

Jaundice in infants and newborns is a widely common condition that is a cause for concern for any new parents. While it could be alarming to witness a yellowish tint on the body of the body and whiteness in their eyes, jaundice in infants is pretty harmless and treatable. Learning about the causes, symptoms and treatment options of jaundice can be really helpful to alleviate fears and ensuring a timely care for the baby. 

What Exactly is Jaundice?

Jaundice is a medical condition that causes a yellowish tint or discoloration of the skin, mucous membrane and the whites in the eye owing to elevated levels of bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a yellow pigment produced during the regular and normal breakdown of the red blood cells. While the liver in the body of the baby processes and removes bilirubin, but due to the immature and fragile liver of an infant – it may not be efficient enough to do it immediately, which eventually leads to bilirubin’s accumulation in the blood. 

Why Does Jaundice Occurs in Newborns?

There are quite some factors due to which Jaundice occurs in newborns:

1. Quick breakdown of red blood cells: Due to the large amount of red blood cells in babies, they breakdown faster after birth thereby increasing bilirubin levels in the bloodstream.
2. Fragile Liver Function: The liver of a baby is quite fragile and does not have necessary strength to process bilirubin effectively which is why it builds up and causes jaundice.
3. Breast-feeding related Jaundice: In few cases, inadequate breastfeeding can also lead to dehydration which worsens the jaundice. At times, substances in breast milk can also interfere with bilirubin metabolism causing breast milk jaundice.
4. Premature birth of babies: Pre-mature babies are also prone to catching jaundice as their liver are not as strong as they should be in comparison to babies who are born in due course of pregnancy completion.
5. Blood-type Incapability: If the mother and the infant both are of different blood types, the red blood cells of the baby might breakdown more rapidly thereby increasing bilirubin levels. This condition is referred to as haemolytic disease of the new born.

Types of Jaundice in Newborns

1. Physiological Jaundice: This is one of the most common type and usually appears 2-4 days after the birth of the new born. But it is a normal response to an infant’s developing body and typically resolves within 2 weeks.
2. Pathological Jaundice: This type of jaundice requires immediate medical attention. This type occurs within the first 24 hours of a new born’s life. This might indicate underlying health issues or signal towards blood group incompatibility.
3. Breastfeeding Jaundice: This usually appears in the first week of the birth of the new born baby and caused by inadequate feeding.
4. Breast Milk Jaundice: This type of Jaundice occurs after the first week of the birth and is especially linked to specific components in the breast milk that slows down  the bilirubin breakdown.

Symptoms of Jaundice in Newborns

Timely intervention in Jaundice cases of new born is significant which requires understanding its symptoms. Some of the common symptoms are:

1. Yellowish tint of the skin which starts at the face and spreads towards the chest, belly and legs of the baby

2. Whites in the eye is another key symptom

3. Poor appetite and feeding requirement and general lethargy

4. Pale-colored stool and dark-colored urine

What are Some Tests for Jaundice

If a doctor suspects jaundice in the baby, he or she can perform following tests:

1. Virtual Assessment: The doctor checks for the yellowing of the skin and eyes.
2. Bilirubin Test: A blood sample is drawn from the baby to gauge bilirubin levels.
3. Additional Tests: Once the bilirubin levels are found, the doctor may perform further tests to understand the severity of the jaundice in the baby.

Treatment Options for Jaundice in Newborns

The treatment options for Jaundice depends on the severity and other underlying issues. Some of the treatment options are:

1. Phototherapy: One of the most commonly adopted method for treating jaundice is Phototherapy wherein the baby is well-placed under special type of blue light which aids in breaking down bilirubin in such a form that can be easily eliminated from the body.
2. Adequate Feeding: Ensuring that the baby is well-fed ensures that the hydration levels are retained. This ensures that the bilirubin is eliminated therefore preserving the health of the baby.
3. Exchange Transfusion: In severe cases where the levels of the bilirubin is quite high, an exchange transfusion might be performed which involves replacement of the existing blood with fresh blood supply in baby’s body.

If you or your loved ones want to explore the top-notch treatment by the gastroenterologists or a paediatrics at Paras Health. Our facilities have the most sought-after treatment plans, doctors, support staff and advanced tools and machinery to assist Jaundice in new born babies. In case you need to talk to our health experts, please reach us at 080 3538 3051.