Neonatal Jaundice: Factors That Can Increase Risk Of Jaundice In Newborns

Jaundice is a common condition among newborn babies, particularly in pre-term babies (babies born before 38 weeks of gestation). Studies show that about 6 out of 10 newborns are likely to develop jaundice; the rate of occurrence is 8 out of 10 in premature babies. While most babies recover quickly from this condition, hospitalization may be required in some cases. What causes Jaundice? Why it is so common among newborns? How newborns with jaundice are treated? Let's delve into the problem of high prevalence of Neonatal Jaundice.

Dr. Lini Balakrishnan, Consultant Paediatrician, Motherhood Hospitals, Sarjapur, Bangalore, explained, "Jaundice is a medical condition wherein the skin and the white areas of the eye turn yellow in colour owing to high levels of bilirubin, a yellowish pigment present in the red blood cells. Jaundice occurs when the liver is not able to get rid of bilirubin in the bloodstream. Jaundice is very common amongst newborns, especially pre-term babies, as their liver is not completely mature to break down bilirubin. Jaundice is mostly treatable, and most newborns recover quickly from this condition."

Dr. Lini threw more light on neonatal jaundice during an exclusive interaction with TheHealthSite. Following are some key points covered during the brief discussion:

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Other factors that increase the risk of jaundice in newborns

Breastfeeding, Hemolysis, and some other genetic disorders potentially increase the risk of jaundice in newborns. However, the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh any potential risks associated with the condition as the baby needs to be treated for jaundice, they may need extra fluids and more frequent feeds during treatment.

Sometimes jaundice in newborns can also occur due to other health problems as well. An underactive thyroid gland where the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones, a blood group incompatibility when the mother and baby have different blood types, which are mixed during the pregnancy or the birth, a urinary tract infection (UTI), etc.

Even though, jaundice is extremely common amongst newborn babies, you can try and prevent it by adequately feeding your baby. A newborn should be fed approximately 8-12 times day with only mother's milk for the initial few weeks following birth.

Symptoms of serious jaundice

The following signs or symptoms may indicate severe jaundice or complications from excess bilirubin in your new-born when:

Baby's skin becomes more yellow
Abdomen, arms, or legs look yellow
Whites of a new-born's eyes look yellow
The baby seems listless or sick or finds it difficult to awaken
There is brownness in the newborn's faeces
The newborn isn't gaining weight or is feeding poorly
The newborn makes high-pitched cries
Your newborn is suffering from a temperature

Treatment plan for neonatal jaundice

Most newborns recover from jaundice in a couple of weeks, without any medical intervention however, sometimes your baby's pediatrician may advise you to get your baby admitted to a hospital if the level of bilirubin in the blood stream is very high. In such cases, the baby is given one of the two below stated treatments.

Phototherapy

Under this technique, a blue light falls on the baby which helps the body in easily breaking down the extra bilirubin in the blood. Phototherapy is done by making the baby your baby lie down in an incubator with no clothes and simply a diaper so that the entire body can be exposed to the blue light. The baby's eyes will be covered to prevent any disturbance caused by the light. Most babies are able to recover from jaundice using phototherapy. A phototherapy session continues till the bilirubin levels in your baby's blood does not come down to normalcy.

Exchange Transfusion

Exchange transfusion is required in rare conditions of neonatal jaundice where the bilirubin levels are extremely high, and the side-effects of jaundice are quite serious. The procedure involves slowly removing the baby's blood and replacing it with fresh donor blood or plasma.

An important message from the expert

"While jaundice in babies is usually not serious, it is best to never take a chance with your newborn's health and get in touch with your child's pediatrician immediately when you suspect any thing wrong. With the correct treatment plan, your baby can get better faster, thus lowering chances of any complications that may develop because of the disease," Dr. Lini said in her concluding remark.

Jaundice in Newborn