Neonatal Jaundice
Neonatal Jaundice is a clinical sign characterized by the yellowing of the skin, sclera ( whites of the eyes) and mucous membranes within the neonatal period. Jaundice is seen when there is an increase of bilirubin in the blood ( hyperbilirubinemia ) greater than 5 mg / dl of blood . In newborns it is as common as 60 % to 85 % in term and preterm infants respectively. Neonatal jaundice can further be classified as pathologic and non-pathologic.
Physiologic Jaundice
This is the result of the immaturity of the mechanism of the different steps of bilirubin metabolism. It is characterized as fleeting (disappears within a week), low intensity, without malaise and appears after the first 24 hours of life. This jaundice does not normally receive medical treatment.
Most newborns have some yellowing of the skin, or jaundice. This is called physiological jaundice. It is harmless and usually is worse when the baby is 2-4 days old. It usually resolves after 2 weeks without further problems.…show more content… Breastfeeding jaundice seen in breastfed babies in the first week of life, especially those who do not feed well due to improper breastfeeding technique or if the mother experiences poor let down of milk. The breast milk jaundice may appear in some healthy infants after the seventh day of life, and usually peaks during weeks 2 and 3. It may last at low levels for a month or more. It is thought that this may be due to certain enzymes in breast milk that inhibit the conjugation of bilirubin in the
