|  | Family Health | Babies Health

Reasons for Jaundice in Newborns

Infant jaundice is a discoloration of a newborn baby's skin and eyes, according to the Mayo Clinic. The discoloration is caused by an excess of bilirubin, a yellow-pigmented breakdown product of red blood cells. Bilirubin is usually broken down by the liver; however, since newborns often have an immature liver, bilirubin can build up causing the baby to become jaundiced. In most cases, jaundice appears between the first 3 and 5 days of the baby's life.

  1. Immature Liver

    • In most cases of infant jaundice, the jaundice is caused because the baby's liver is simply not mature enough to take care of the excess bilirubin in their blood. Prior to birth, the placenta removes the bilirubin and then it is processed by the mother. Newborn jaundice is particularly common in premature babies because of their underdeveloped livers.

    Gestational Diabetes

    • According to Emedicinehealth.com, a mother who has diabetes may cause her baby to have newborn jaundice. It is important for mothers to get regular pregnancy check-ups. Also, staying as healthy as possible during the pregnancy is important. According to the Mayo Clinic, women with gestational diabetes usually deliver healthy babies, but it is important to keep a close eye on everything health related.

    Bruised Head

    • According to Emedicinehealth.com, cephalohematoma is a bruise on a baby's scalp that occurs during the birthing process, which can be caused by using forceps or a vacuum during delivery. This bruise is clotted blood, and as the blood breaks down, a large amount of bilirubin is released. Since the baby's liver is not mature enough to handle all of the bilirubin, jaundice may occur.

    Breast Milk

    • In some cases, jaundice occurs because the enzymes in the mother's milk deactivate the baby's enzymes it needs to take care of the bilirubin, according to Drgreene.com. This is typically called breast milk jaundice. If this is the cause of the jaundice, the mother should still continue to breastfeed. However, the jaundice could take up to 10 weeks to go away completely.

    Incompatible Blood Types

    • Occasionally, an incompatibility between the mother's and baby's blood type will lead to jaundice. This is caused when the mother's body produces antibodies that attack the fetus's blood cells, according to Emedicinehealth.com. This type of jaundice can exist if the mother has either type O blood or has Rh (Rhesus) factor negative blood type.

Babies Health - Related Articles