How many days does neonatal jaundice appear

Neonatal jaundice is a relatively common disease, which often refers to jaundice that occurs within about one month after the baby is born. The main symptom is that the baby's skin turns yellow. Once jaundice occurs, the baby will lose appetite, feel uncomfortable all over, and his body temperature will rise. In order to control jaundice well, we need to reduce the bilirubin in the baby's body. So how to treat jaundice?

What is neonatal jaundice?

Medically, jaundice that occurs in babies under one month old (within 28 days of birth) is called neonatal jaundice. The main symptoms are yellowing of the skin, mucous membranes, and sclera. The baby will have a loss of appetite, become restless, and his body temperature may also rise.

Neonatal jaundice is a very common disease among newborns. Clinically, about 85% of full-term infants and the vast majority of premature infants develop jaundice within one week after birth. Neonatal jaundice is mainly a disease caused by the incomplete development of the liver function of the newborn, abnormal bilirubin metabolism, and increased bilirubin concentration in the blood. It can be specifically divided into physiological jaundice and pathological jaundice.

When the baby is still a fetus, it relies on the placenta to supply blood and oxygen. After it is separated from the mother's body, the baby begins to breathe with its own lungs to obtain oxygen. The low oxygen environment in the body changes and so many red blood cells are no longer needed. At this time, bilirubin is produced and may be in excess. The excess bilirubin cannot be excreted from the body through the immature enzyme system and flows with the blood to various parts of the baby's body, manifesting as external signs such as the baby's skin and sclera turning yellow. This phenomenon is called neonatal jaundice.

Causes of neonatal jaundice

1. Excessive bilirubin production

(1) Excessive destruction of red blood cells: The fetus is in a low-oxygen environment in the mother's womb, and the red blood cells increase in compensation, but their lifespan is short. After birth, the blood oxygen content increases, and the excessive red blood cells are quickly destroyed.

(2) High heme oxygenase content: The content is high within 7 days after birth, and the potential for producing bilirubin is high.

2. Immature liver function

(1) Poor liver ability to absorb bilirubin: Insufficient levels of Y and Z proteins in liver cells result in insufficient liver absorption of bilirubin.

(2) Poor liver function of conjugating bilirubin: The content of glucuronyl transferase in the liver is low and its activity is insufficient, resulting in poor function of forming conjugated bilirubin.

(3) Poor liver excretion of bilirubin: Poor liver excretion of conjugated bilirubin can easily lead to cholestasis.

3. Characteristics of enterohepatic circulation: When a newborn is born, the normal intestinal flora has not yet been established and cannot convert the bilirubin that enters the intestine into urobilinogen (fecal bilirubin).

Due to the above characteristics, the ability of newborns to absorb, bind and excrete bilirubin is significantly lower than that of adults, and bilirubin is produced more but excreted less, so jaundice is very likely to occur. Especially when the baby is suffering from hypoxia, delayed meconium excretion, delayed feeding, vomiting, dehydration, acidosis, cephalohematoma, etc., jaundice will be aggravated.

What to do with neonatal jaundice

Generally speaking, most cases of neonatal jaundice do not require treatment. But if necessary, there are two ways to treat neonatal jaundice:

1. Light therapy

Phototherapy is an adjunctive therapy for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia using fluorescent light. Phototherapy often relieves jaundice in newborns because ultraviolet light converts bilirubin into a form that is more easily excreted in your baby's urine.

2. Exchange blood therapy

If neonatal jaundice is severe or bilirubin levels continue to rise after phototherapy, the baby will need exchange transfusion therapy.

3. Other treatments

There are other things you can do to help your baby reduce neonatal jaundice. For example, make sure your baby gets enough breast milk or formula so that he or she has more bowel movements. If you have any questions about your baby's neonatal jaundice, be sure to consult your doctor to make sure you choose the right treatment for neonatal jaundice.