What Causes Jaundice in Newborn Babies
Summary: Bilrubin is the yellow pigment color that is naturally created by the body during the normal recycling of old red blood cells; it is removed from the body in the stool.  Before a baby is born the placenta removes the Bilrubin from the infant and the mother's liver processes it and she passes it from her body for the baby.

Once the baby is born his liver takes over and manages the Bilrubin itself.  However, infants have a much higher turn over of red blood cells than adults do and they create more, which in turn, creates the need to expel more.  Due to the immaturity of some infants liver and it's inability to keep up with the demand, some infants develop what is called "Jaundice".  Jaundice is the yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes and is present in all newborns to some degree.  It presents itself usually between day two and three of life and clears within two weeks, without leaving any lasting problems.

Infants with high levels of Bilrubin, typically 25mg or higher, can suffer serious injury, including cerebral palsy, deafness and other forms of brain damage.  It can be a serious problem, eventhough it usually is not.  The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has set forth guidelines for obstetricians to examine newborns for Jaundice within three days of birth.

There are several types, Jaundice of pre-maturity, Physiological (normal) Jaundice, Breast Milk Jaundice and Blood Group Incompatibility Jaundice.  Jaundice of pre-maturity is seen most commonly in premature babies.  To avoid complications with the premature babies, these infants need to be treated at a lower level of Bilrubin.  Physiological (normal) Jaundice is the one that most babies experience.  It occurs in most newborns, to a mild degree within two to four days of birth, and disappears within two weeks.  Breast Milk Jaundice is  induced by the mothers breast milk while nursing, in 1% - 2% of breastfed babies.  It is caused by substances in the mothers milk that causes the Bilrubin to raise.

When breastfeeding Breast Milk Jaundice usually appears within the first five days but with treatment will clear sometime between three to twelve weeks.  Blood Group Incompatibility Jaundice, (also known as Rh and ABO problems) is caused when the infant has a different blood type than that of the mother and the mother produces antibodies that destroy the newborn's red blood cells, setting of a flurry of Bilrubin in the baby's blood.  This type  can appear as early as the infants first day of life.  An injection is now available for the mother, if taken within 72 hours of giving birth, to avoid subsequent babies from contracting this.

The seriousness of Jaundice in infants is directly related to the age of your baby and his previous medical history.  Your physicians office can sample your baby's blood to test, if you suspect that he has it.  And in some cases they can do a preliminary light test without drawing blood as a basis to determine if further testing is necessary.  Call your doctor if you notice Jaundice within your baby's first 24 hours of life, if your baby was diagnosed with and it appears to be worsening, he develops a (rectal) fever of 100 degrees or he begins to act as if he is ill.

Mild and moderate cases of Jaundice in infants will normally clear on it's own.  Acute cases of Jaundice can be treated with Phototherapy, a treatment using a special light that helps the baby's liver process the excess Bilrubin.