General Information About Neonatal Jaundice
Disease Details and Frequently Asked Questions
It is the accumulation of the substance 'Bilirubin', which emerges from the breakdown of red blood cells that have completed their lifespan, in the blood and dyeing the skin yellow because it cannot be excreted from the body by the baby's liver, which is not yet functioning adequately.
Physiological Jaundice: It starts on the 2nd or 3rd day after birth, reaches its highest level within 1 week, and passes spontaneously at the end of the 2nd week without requiring treatment.
Pathological Jaundice: It is dangerous jaundice that appears within the first 24 hours immediately after birth, rises very rapidly, does not pass for weeks, and is caused by blood incompatibility or infection.
The most severe cases of jaundice are caused by blood group incompatibility between the mother and the baby. If the mother's blood type is 'O' and the baby's is 'A' or 'B', or if the Mother is 'Rh Negative' and the baby is 'Rh Positive', antibodies passing from the mother to the baby rapidly break down the baby's blood cells, releasing a lot of bilirubin.
If the bilirubin substance in the blood rises far above the limit determined by the doctor, it crosses the brain barrier and settles directly into the brain cells. This condition poisons the baby's brain, leading to permanent mental retardation, deafness, and paralysis (Kernicterus).
Jaundice first starts on the face (in the whites of the eyes and around the nose), and as the substance increases in the blood, it spreads to the chest, abdomen, and legs. When you gently press and release the baby's forehead or nose with your finger, if the area appears obviously yellow rather than white, you should consult a doctor. Excessive sleepiness in the baby is a danger sign.
If the bilirubin value is high, the baby is hospitalized and Phototherapy (Blue Light Treatment) is applied. The baby is laid under a blue light of a special wavelength with their eyes covered. This light breaks down the jaundice substance in the skin, making it excretable through urine/feces. If it is at very dangerous levels, the baby's blood is urgently exchanged (Blood transfusion).
Our health library contents are prepared for informational purposes only and with scientific data available at the time of recording. For all your questions, concerns, diagnosis, or treatment regarding your health, please consult your doctor or a healthcare institution.
