Do all newborns have jaundice?

Neonatal jaundice is a normal phenomenon. Most newborns will have jaundice, but there are also babies who do not have jaundice. Generally, jaundice will disappear on its own in a short period of time, which is called physiological jaundice. Another type of jaundice is pathological jaundice, which will not disappear over time and requires treatment in the hospital. Parents should pay attention to the baby's condition. If the baby feels unwell, seek medical attention in time and do not delay treatment.

Neonatal jaundice is one of the common symptoms in the neonatal period. Under normal circumstances, jaundice can be observed with the naked eye in about 80% of full-term infants. Due to the insufficient bilirubin metabolism capacity of newborns, there will always be a certain degree of bilirubin accumulation in the blood within 1 to 2 weeks after birth. For newborns, when the total bilirubin value in the blood is >85μmol/L (5 mg/dl), we can see yellowing of the skin (i.e. jaundice) with the naked eye.

Treatments for jaundice:

1. Light therapy

Phototherapy is an adjunctive therapy for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia using fluorescent light. Phototherapy often relieves jaundice in newborns because ultraviolet light converts bilirubin into a form that is more easily excreted in your baby's urine.

2. Exchange blood therapy

If neonatal jaundice is severe or bilirubin levels continue to rise after phototherapy, the baby will need exchange transfusion therapy.

3. Other treatments

There are other things you can do to help your baby reduce neonatal jaundice. For example, make sure your baby gets enough breast milk or formula so that he or she has more bowel movements. If you have any questions about your baby's neonatal jaundice, be sure to consult your doctor to make sure you choose the right treatment for neonatal jaundice.

How to care for newborn jaundice:

1. Determine the degree of jaundice. Parents can observe the degree of yellowing of the newborn's skin under natural light. If only the face is yellow, it is mild jaundice; if the skin on the trunk is yellow, it is moderate jaundice; if the limbs and the palms and soles of the feet are also yellow, it is severe jaundice.

2. Observe the color of stool. If the stool is clay-colored, pathological jaundice should be considered, which is mostly caused by congenital bile duct malformations. If the jaundice is severe, associated symptoms occur, or the stool color is abnormal, you should go to the hospital immediately to avoid delaying treatment.

3. Expel meconium as soon as possible. Because meconium contains a lot of bilirubin, if the meconium is not completely discharged, the bilirubin will be reabsorbed into the blood through the special enterohepatic circulation of the newborn, causing jaundice to increase.