Jaundice, yellow discolouration of the skin and eyes, affects many newborns two or three days after birth. Experts say the condition is not a disease in and of itself. In healthy-sized full-term newborns it’s usually fairly harmless. Doctors say babies are born with an excess of red blood cells. As these old blood cells are broken down, they’re transformed into a substance called bilirubin. (Dr. Greene explains that this is the same substance you see when an old bruise turns yellow). Often the newborn’s liver is too unformed to properly process the large amounts of bilirubin in her system and she becomes yellow, or jaundiced. Doctors cite the risk factors for this type of common, usually harmless, jaundice as being premature birth, bruising during birth, mother and baby having different blood types and breastfeeding. This type of jaundice should disappear on its own at about two weeks. Jaundice that develops earlier, or later, may have other causes and may be less benign. Doctors tend to monitor jaundice in infants carefully, just in case. If a baby is extremely yellow, or if she seems weak, this may be cause for worry. In some cases babies are given treatments to make sure the level of bilirubin in their blood doesn’t get too high.
Raising Children Network
“Jaundice in Newborns”
"Jaundice is usually harmless and disappears after a week or two without problems. Nonetheless, a nurse or doctor should check and monitor all cases of jaundice in newborn babies. Some babies have severe jaundice, which very occasionally can lead to deafness and even brain damage if not treated promptly." …read the full article
Dr. Greene
“Jaundice”
"Jaundice is common in new babies and is usually not a problem. Nevertheless, jaundice can be a sign of a serious disease and occasionally jaundice can cause lasting nerve damage. Parents need to know when to worry and when to relax. " …read the full article
BabyCentre Australia
“Jaundice”
"Jaundice develops in a healthy baby when the blood contains an excess of bilirubin – a chemical produced during the normal breakdown of old red blood cells. Newborns tend to have higher levels because they have extra oxygen-carrying red blood cells and their young livers can’t metabolise the excess bilirubin." …read the full article
Kids Health
“Jaundice in Healthy Newborns”
"A common condition in newborns, jaundice refers to the yellow color of the skin and whites of the eyes caused by excess bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is produced by the normal breakdown of red blood cells." …read the full article
Dr. Cohen
Excerpt fromThe New Basics
"Jaundice, the condition of having yellowish skin, is not a rare occurrence in newborns. In fact, it’s common, so common that most of the alarm it causes doctors and parents of jaundiced babies is unwarranted . . . Practically speaking, I’d say that at least a third of all newborn exhibit some kind of yellow tinge. Mild jaundice tends to appear on the second day, peaks around the fifth day, and then slowly decreases over time. It may still be detectable around week six." … read the full article
