Newborn - Jaundice

Jaundice is a condition in which the skin and eyes develop a yellowish color. This occurs because of a build-up of a substance called bilirubin, which is formed by the breakdown of old red blood cells. Since the liver is responsible for the breakdown of bilirubin and this organ is relatively immature in newborns, many babies will experience normal physiologic jaundice which gradually resolves after 1-2 weeks of life. Jaundice tends to reach its peak level at days 3-5 of life.

We measure the amount of jaundice by measuring the level of bilirubin in the blood. The bilirubin level can sometimes get very high because of a difference in blood type between mom and baby, prematurity, or excessive bruising of the head. If the bilirubin level is moderately elevated, we may ask you to feed your baby more frequently or expose the baby to natural sunlight at home. Exposure to sunlight helps to lower the level more quickly. In some cases, the level gets very high and requires a special treatment called phototherapy, in which the baby is exposed to continuous special light in the hospital.

We will be monitoring for jaundice while your baby is in the hospital and during the first initial office visits.

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