How does jaundice affect newborns?

We know that newborns have very weak immunity. If they are not protected, they are likely to be harmed, and in severe cases they may even lose their lives. Many viruses also attach to the bodies of babies when they are born, the most common one being jaundice. Jaundice is a frequent symptom in infancy, mainly due to the destruction of red blood cells in newborns, leading to abnormal metabolism of bilirubin.

Medically, jaundice in newborns under one month old (within 28 days of birth) is called neonatal jaundice. Neonatal jaundice refers to a disease characterized by jaundice of the skin, mucous membranes and sclera due to abnormal bilirubin metabolism in the neonatal period, which causes increased bilirubin levels in the blood. This disease can be divided into physiological and pathological types. Physiological jaundice appears 2 to 3 days after birth, reaches its peak on the 4th to 6th day, and disappears on the 7th to 10th day. It lasts longer in premature infants and, except for mild loss of appetite, has no other clinical symptoms. If jaundice appears within 24 hours after birth, the daily serum bilirubin increases by more than 5 mg/dl or >0.5 mg/dl per hour; it lasts for a long time, >2 weeks in full-term infants and >4 weeks in premature infants, and it still does not subside, or even continues to deepen and worsen or reappears after subsiding, or jaundice begins to appear within one to several weeks after birth, it is pathological jaundice.

Causes

1. Excessive production of bilirubin

Due to excessive destruction of red blood cells and increased enterohepatic circulation, serum unconjugated bilirubin increases. Common causes include: polycythemia, extravascular hemolysis, alloimmune hemolysis, infection, increased enterohepatic circulation, erythrocyte enzyme deficiency, abnormal erythrocyte morphology, and hemoglobinopathy.

2. Hepatic bilirubin metabolism disorder

Due to the low function of liver cells to absorb and bind bilirubin, the serum unconjugated bilirubin increases. Common causes include: hypoxia and infection, Crigler-Najjar syndrome, Gilbert syndrome, Lucey-Driscoll syndrome, drugs (such as sulfonamides, salicylates, indomethacin, lanolin, etc.), and congenital hypothyroidism.

Clinical manifestations

1. Physiological jaundice

In mild cases, the disease is light yellow and limited to the face and neck, or spread to the trunk. The sclera may also turn yellow and then disappear after 2 to 3 days, and the skin color returns to normal on the 5th to 6th day. In severe cases, jaundice may spread to the head and then the feet, and the vomitus and cerebrospinal fluid may also turn yellow for more than a week. In particular, some premature infants may persist for up to 4 weeks. Their stool is still yellow and there is no bilirubin in the urine.

2. Jaundice color

In mild cases, the skin is light-colored, while in severe cases, the skin is darker, but the skin is rosy and yellow with a hint of red.

3. Jaundice location

It is more common on the trunk, sclera and proximal limbs, usually beyond the elbows and knees.

4. Newborns

The general condition is good, there is no anemia, no hepatosplenomegaly, normal liver function, and no kernicterus.

Many mothers say that there is no need to worry about jaundice. Every baby may experience jaundice, and some children will not get rid of it until three months later. So is there any way to prevent jaundice? Before giving birth, we can get more sun exposure, do some exercise, eat some goose eggs, and drink more soy milk. There is also a folk remedy that says drinking soup made from red dates is also very effective, so you may as well try it. All in all, just maintain a healthy lifestyle.