HWN Suggests

Jaundice in newborns could be an evolutionary safeguard against death from sepsis

In newborn babies, jaundice is so common as to be termed physiological. It affects around 60% of term babies and around 80% of preterm babies in the first week of their lives. Clinicians need to monitor it carefully and sometimes treat it, since it can lead to conditions like acute bilirubin encephalopathy and kernicterus that can damage the infant’s brain and cause developmental problems. But it now looks as though this jaundice is not merely one of the pitfalls of entering the world. New research just published in Scientific Reports, in which we have been involved, suggests that it is one of the gifts of evolution. Humans may develop jaundice as newborns to protect from something even more…

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Featured

 Neonatal Jaundice from a Parent's Perspective

Almost all babies (and adults) have jaundice so it is really no cause for concern. The yellowness of the new born is the result of build up of bilirubin in the baby’s blood due to the immature development of their liver to clear off the waste material in the body. Most babies return to their normal pinkish self within the first week but for my last three babies, their yellowness stuck with them for at least a month which means constant blood tests and visits to the paediatrician.

Articles of Interest

Baby Has Jaundice: Is That a Problem?

Jaundice, with its telltale yellow skin, affects 60% of newborn babies. It's almost always harmless -- except when it signals a dangerous buildup of toxins that can result in permanent brain damage.

Filtered Sunlight Is Good Cure for Infant Jaundice, Study Says

Filtered sunlight is a cheap, effective way to treat infant jaundice, according to a study by Stanford researchers.

For Neonatal Jaundice, a New Option in Resource-Poor Nations

So scientists and designers at D-Rev, a nonprofit design firm in Palo Alto, Calif., created a phototherapy device, called Brilliance, that uses light-emitting diodes instead of compact fluorescents. The LED bulbs require half the wattage and cost one-tenth as much as fluorescent bulbs, and they last up to five years. If the power goes out, Brilliance can be operated for up to eight hours on a car battery. The unit now costs about $400, and D-rev hopes to bring that cost down when a full manufacturing program is in place.

‘He could have died’: family calls for better jaundice testing of black and Asian babies

Soon after her son Jaxson was born, Lauren Clarke spotted that his eyes were yellow and bloodshot. “We kept asking if he had jaundice, but each time we were told to keep feeding him and just put Jaxson in front of a window,” she says. It was only when Clarke was readmitted six days later with an infection that Jaxson’s jaundice was detected by a midwife. By this time, his levels were becoming dangerously high.

Resources

PEM Playbook – Neonatal Jaundice

Most newborns will have some jaundice. Most jaundice is benign. So, how can we sort through the various presentations and keep our newborns safe?

StatPearls

The term jaundice is from the French word "jaune," which means yellow. Neonatal jaundice in most newborns is a mild and transient event. It is however imperative to identify newborns with jaundice that do not follow this pattern as failure to do so may lead to long-term sequelae.

CDC

Any baby can get jaundice. Severe jaundice that is not treated can cause brain damage. Your baby should be checked for jaundice in the hospital and again within 48 hours after leaving the hospital. Ask your doctor or nurse about a jaundice bilirubin test.

eMedicineHealth

Physiologic jaundice is the most common form of newborn jaundice. The baby's liver plays the most important part in bilirubin breakdown. The type of bilirubin that causes the yellow discoloration of jaundice is called unconjugated or indirect bilirubin. This form of bilirubin is not easily removed from the baby's body. The baby's liver changes this unconjugated bilirubin into conjugated or direct bilirubin, which is easier to excrete. The liver of a newborn baby is immature, so the job of conjugating and removing bilirubin is not done completely well.

KidsHealth

Parents also should watch their baby for jaundice. Jaundice can be hard to see, especially in babies with dark skin. If you're unsure, gently press the skin on your baby's nose or forehead — if jaundice is present, the skin will appear yellow when you lift your finger.

MedlinePlus

Most newborns have some yellowing of the skin, or jaundice. This is called "physiological jaundice." It is often most noticeable when the baby is 2 - 4 days old. Most of the time it does not cause problems and goes away within 2 weeks.

NHS

Jaundice is one of the most common conditions that can affect newborn babies. It is estimated that 6 out of every 10 babies will develop jaundice, including 8 out of 10 babies born prematurely (babies born before the 37th week of pregnancy). However, only around 1 in 20 babies has a high enough level of bilirubin in their blood to need treatment.

Patient

Hyperbilirubinaemia is either unconjugated (which is potentially toxic but may be physiological or pathological) or conjugated (not toxic but always pathological). Without treatment, high levels of unconjugated bilirubin may lead to kernicterus.

ScienceDirect

Jaundice in full-term, healthy newborns is considered physiologic because hyperbilirubinemia occurs in all neonates.

UpToDate

Breast milk jaundice is thought to be due to the infant’s immature liver and intestines. It typically begins the first week after birth, peaks within two weeks after birth, and declines over the next few weeks. Breast milk jaundice is not a reason to stop breastfeeding as long as the baby is feeding well, gaining weight, and otherwise thriving. Infants with breast milk jaundice rarely need treatment unless severe hyperbilirubinemia develops.