Jaundice Risk for Newborns

Jaundice is very common in newborn babies, as half of all newborns end up developing some level of jaundice. The symptoms of jaundice are clearly visible and cause yellowing of both the skin and eyes. Jaundice is a disease that indicates that a baby's liver isn't mature enough to metabolize a molecule called bilirubin. Newborns who are unable to recycle bilirubin will develop jaundice.

Premature Birth

• A premature newborn has a risk for jaundice, as newborns who are born early are not always able to process bilirubin as well as a full-term newborn. A premature newborn will eat less than a full-term newborn, and have fewer bowl movements.This will result in a limited amount of bilirubin passing through a newborn's system through the baby's stools.

Breastfeeding

• Although breastfeeding is much more healthy for a baby than bottle feeding, it does cause a higher risk for jaundice, especially for those infants who are having trouble latching on and taking in enough milk. This will keep a baby from getting the right amount of nutrition, causing jaundice.

Blood Type

• Mothers who have a different blood type than their newborn can also contribute to a newborn getting jaundice. This ultimately causes the placenta to transfer antibodies to the unborn baby, which causes the newborn's blood cells to break down faster, resulting in jaundice.