Newborn jaundice: causes and therapy

Newborn jaundice occurs in very many babies. In this article we explain how the yellow discoloration of the skin develops, what causes it and how it can be treated.

Causes of newborn jaundice

You can recognize jaundice in newborns by the yellowish discoloration of the skin and eyeballs.

• The yellowish discoloration of the baby's skin is caused by the bilirubin, which is yellow in color.
• If this substance gets into the bloodstream, it turns the skin slightly yellowish.
• Jaundice often occurs in infants because the body has to adjust to the new situation outside the womb.
• In the amniotic sac, the baby is supplied with the blood pigment HbF by the mother. In the world, little people now need the blood pigment HbA.
• Bilirubin often forms during the breakdown of HbF after birth. If the amount is too large, the baby's liver is still overwhelmed and cannot convert it into a water-soluble substance quickly enough.
• Another cause of jaundice in newborns can be when too many red blood cells break.
• This creates a blood intolerance, which can occur when the baby and mother do not have the same blood type.
• Genetic anemia can also lead to increased breakdown of blood cells and thus jaundice.
• Larger bruises that occur after birth can also cause jaundice.

Treatment options for treating jaundice in infants

Jaundice usually occurs between the third and sixth day after birth and usually lasts only a few days to about the tenth to fourteenth day.

• If the bilirobin values ​​do not exceed a certain limit, the course is normal and should only be kept in mind.
• To do this, the doctor has to check the values ​​regularly, but there is hardly any risk to healthy newborns.
• However, if the value is increased too much, therapy must be carried out to prevent possible damage.
• The therapy is usually carried out by irradiation with blue light. This stimulates the excretion of the bile pigment. This form is used when the bilirubin is poorly water-soluble. The blue light makes it separable.
• In severe cases, for example if there is an intolerance to the mother's blood, blood must be exchanged with a suitable donor blood.