Why is the philtrum of a newborn baby blue?

The blue philtrum of a newborn may have both physiological reasons and be related to disease. For example, when a child is just born, the skin's circulatory system is not yet perfect, which can easily cause the philtrum to turn blue. Of course, this may also be because the child has symptoms of mild jaundice. At this time, it is best to go to the hospital for a jaundice test. If there are indeed symptoms of jaundice, treatment should be sought in a timely manner.

Why is the philtrum of a newborn baby blue?

If the jaundice is mild, it is recommended to measure the jaundice value and give oral medication or blue light treatment if necessary. The philtrum is a little blue, which has nothing to do with jaundice. Do a cardiac ultrasound.

Normal value of neonatal jaundice

The normal jaundice values ​​for full-term babies are different from those for premature babies. Generally, the normal value of jaundice in full-term newborns is 12.9 mg/100 ml, which means that the bilirubin level in 100 ml of blood is lower than 12.9 mg. The normal value of jaundice in premature babies is 15 mg/100 ml of blood, which means that the bilirubin level in 100 ml of blood is less than 15 mg.

When the baby's jaundice value exceeds 12.9mg/dl or the neonatal jaundice index rises too quickly (rising by more than 5mh/dl per day), or the jaundice lasts longer than the time it takes for a full-term baby to disappear within 14 days and for a premature baby to disappear within 4 weeks, or the jaundice disappears and reappears. It means that the neonatal jaundice is unhealthy and may be suffering from pathological jaundice.

What is physiological jaundice in newborns?

Physiological jaundice is a normal physiological phenomenon in newborns, which is caused by an increase in serum unconjugated bilirubin. After a newborn is born, he or she begins to breathe independently, pulmonary circulation is established, and with sufficient oxygen supply, excess red blood cells in the body begin to be destroyed. Hemoglobin is broken down to produce a large amount of unconjugated bilirubin. Because the newborn's liver enzymes are not yet mature, unconjugated bilirubin cannot be metabolized by the liver and excreted from the body. It accumulates in the body, causing yellowing of the skin, mucous membranes and other tissues. As red blood cell destruction decreases and liver enzymes mature, unconjugated bilirubin is gradually metabolized and excreted from the body through the intestines and urinary tract, and jaundice gradually decreases and disappears.

Neonatal physiological jaundice refers to the yellowing of the skin and eyes of a newborn baby within 2-3 days after birth, reaching a peak at 4-6 days. It can disappear within two weeks for full-term newborns, but takes 3-4 weeks for premature babies. In babies with mild jaundice, the jaundice may be limited to the face, neck and torso, and the color may be light yellow. In more severe cases, the jaundice may spread to the entire body. Apart from jaundice, the newborn baby is generally in good condition, with normal feeding, sleeping, urination and defecation. But it does not mean that all babies will develop jaundice. Generally, 60% of full-term babies will have jaundice, and 80% of premature babies will have jaundice.