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Sub-Category:

Neonatal Jaundice

Specialty: Pediatrics

Category: Neonatal Conditions (Newborns)

Sub-category: Common Neonatal Conditions

Symptoms:
yellowing of the skin and eyes (icterus); poor feeding; lethargy; dark urine; pale-colored stools in severe cases

Root Cause:
Elevated bilirubin levels due to the immaturity of the liver’s ability to process and excrete bilirubin or excessive breakdown of red blood cells.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Visual examination, serum bilirubin levels, and transcutaneous bilirubinometry.

Treatment:
Phototherapy (light therapy) to break down bilirubin, exchange transfusion in severe cases, and addressing underlying causes (e.g., infections, hemolysis).

Medications:
Phenobarbital (induces enzyme activity to aid bilirubin clearance, rarely used in mild cases) and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) for immune-related causes such as hemolytic disease.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects 60% of full-term newborns and 80% of preterm newborns within the first week of life.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Prematurity, maternal diabetes, breastfeeding difficulties, blood type incompatibilities (e.g., ABO or Rh incompatibility), and bruising during delivery.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Generally excellent if treated promptly; severe cases can result in kernicterus (bilirubin-induced brain damage) if untreated.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Kernicterus, hearing loss, cerebral palsy, and developmental delays.