Bilirubin and Jaundice
Any newborn baby can develop jaundice. It is presented as yellow discoloration of the skin, mucous membranes and whites of the eyes, caused by above normal levels of bilirubin in the blood. Physiologic jaundice in newborns is common. It can be present at birth or develop 2-3 days after birth. Bilirubin is formed when the body recycles old or damaged red blood cells.
When the infants liver is not mature enough to metabolize the bilirubin, bilirubin builds up in the blood and jaundice occurs. This causes no symptoms or discomfort to your baby and usually disappears on it's own in 1-2 weeks. Jaundice should be monitored by your pediatrician because excessively high levels of bilirubin can lead to serious, irreversible complications.
Moderate to severe jaundice can develop because of blood type differences between mother and infant. (see Rh-factor). See more on the treatment of jaundice, below.
Treatment
In mild jaundice, your baby may be placed under a special ultra-violet light or wrapped in a fiber optic blanket for photo-therapy. This light allows the bilirubin to be broken down to a form that can be excreted by the infant's kidneys. Increasing feeding frequency will cause more bowel movements and more bilirubin to be excreted in the stool.
Severe jaundice may require intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg), an intravenous transfusion of antibodies, or very rarely, an exchange transfusion, repeatedly withdrawing out small amounts of the infants blood, "diluting out" the bilirubin and maternal antibodies, and transfusing the blood back to the infant. Your baby will probable be in a neonatal intensive care unit for this procedure.
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