Will neonatal jaundice go away on its own?

Many newborns will suffer from jaundice, which is generally divided into physiological and pathological jaundice. There is no need to worry about physiological jaundice, as it will disappear on its own within a short period of time, so parents do not need to worry too much. Pathological jaundice will not disappear on its own and needs to be treated in the hospital in time. Generally, blue light irradiation treatment is the most common and will not affect the baby. Parents should pay attention to observe the baby's changes, determine what kind of jaundice the baby has, and treat it in time.

For most neonatal jaundice, it can actually disappear on its own, because this jaundice is physiological jaundice, which is relatively mild and occurs relatively early. In this case, neonatal jaundice may disappear faster. Neonatal jaundice will subside but it takes some time to subside. So what kind of jaundice cannot go away on its own? For example, neonatal jaundice caused by cytomegalovirus hepatitis, jaundice caused by hemolytic disease, and jaundice caused by biliary atresia are all caused by some diseases. It is difficult for the jaundice to go away on its own, and the jaundice may gradually worsen, eventually causing damage to the body.

How to distinguish which type of jaundice your baby has

1. Physiological jaundice

Generally speaking, about 50%-60% of full-term newborns and more than 80% of premature babies will develop physiological jaundice 2-3 days after birth. This type of jaundice reaches its peak in 4-5 days and is generally mild, with only slight yellowing of the skin and sclera (the white part of the eye). The baby's overall condition is usually good. He can eat and drink every day and is energetic. The jaundice will disappear on its own in about 2 weeks. Of course, jaundice in premature babies may last a little longer, but generally will not exceed 3-4 weeks.

2. Pathological jaundice

Pathological jaundice is jaundice caused by a certain disease. Its main feature is that jaundice appears relatively early, usually within 24 hours after birth, and the degree of jaundice is severe and lasts for a long time, or jaundice reappears after subsiding. There are many diseases that cause pathological jaundice, the most common ones include neonatal hemolytic disease, biliary atresia, neonatal hepatitis, neonatal sepsis and some hereditary diseases.

3. Breast milk jaundice

About 1% of breastfed babies may develop breast milk jaundice. Breast milk jaundice is caused by the excessive activity of an enzyme in breast milk, which increases the reabsorption of bilirubin in the intestine. It usually appears around 3 days after birth and often overlaps with physiological jaundice at the beginning. However, when the physiological jaundice should subside around 2 weeks, the jaundice persists or slowly worsens. If the baby's physiological jaundice persists but the baby's overall condition remains good, it is generally considered to be breast milk jaundice. Stop breastfeeding for 3 days. If the jaundice is relieved, it can be confirmed as breast milk jaundice.