It has become an accepted medical norm to check for presence of jaundice, soon after a child is born. In fact, records show that most newborns are born with this medical condition to a slight a degree. Jaundice is a result of surplus bilirubin in the blood, which under normal functioning of the body is eliminated from the body through the excretory system. There could be more than one reason for the high level of bilirubin in newborns.

Firstly, the production of bilirubin as a byproduct in the body is directly proportional to the production of the red blood cells. Since, newborns have a larger manufacturing of RBC; therefore the bilirubin is also excessive in quantity. Secondly, the liver of a newborn is still in the process of developing, therefore it may not have the potential to remove the required amount of bilirubin at the same rate as a healthy adult. Lastly, the intestines of the newborn may be absorbing much larger level of bilirubin than required.

Jaundice appears in various forms in newborns. Physiological jaundice is the most common type of the disease found in newborns. This is related to the incomplete development of the liver and over a period of about 2 weeks, the condition returns to normal. Jaundice of pre-maturity occurs in premature born babies as their liver is even lesser capable of excreting bilirubin. Breastfeeding jaundice is the result of dearth of adequate amount of breastfeed available to the child, either due to lesser production of breast milk in the mother’s body or due to difficulty in feeding. Breast milk jaundice is caused by a substance present in the breast feed that leads to an elevation in the content of bilirubin. This condition can take up to 12 weeks to rectify.

Blood group incompatibility can be another reason for the occurrence of jaundice in newborns. If the blood groups of the mother and child are not compatible, the antibodies produced by the mother’s blood obliterate the RBC of the newborn resulting in accumulation of bilirubin. These days, a specific injection is administered to protect the child and mother from this condition.

More Articles :

• Alcoholism And Jaundice
• Jaundice In Eyes
• Jaundice In Newborns
• Jaundice Symptoms
• What Is Yellow Jaundice ?