How long does it take for neonatal jaundice to recede? What are the causes of neonatal jaundice?

Jaundice is a disease that is very common, especially many newborns have jaundice after birth, but most parents are not very aware of this disease, so many parents are curious about how long it will take for neonatal jaundice to go away, etc., so how long will neonatal jaundice go away?What are the causes of neonatal jaundice?

1. How long does it take for neonatal jaundice to go away?

Neonates: resolves within 2 weeks

Jaundice begins to appear 2-3 days after birth, is most obvious after 4-5 days, and resolves naturally in 7-14 days, generally in good condition, without adverse reactions, called "physiological jaundice".

premature: Resolves within 2-4 weeks

Because the liver function is more immature, jaundice appears later, around the third or fourth day, and lasts longer, normally lasting 2 to 4 weeks.

Neonatal breast milk jaundice: lasts about 2 months

Jaundice begins 4-7 days after birth and lasts for about 2 months, mainly with elevated unconjugated bilirubin, and no clinical symptoms.

Neonatal pathological jaundice: lasts more than 2 weeks

Jaundice appears early, within 24 hours of birth. Jaundice is persistent and persists or even deepens after 2 to 3 weeks of age, or decreases and then deepens. The jaundice is severe, golden yellow or jaundice all over the body, and there is also obvious jaundice in the palms and soles of the feet or serum bilirubin is greater than 12-15 mg/L. Those with anemia or pale stool color. Those with abnormal body temperature, poor appetite, vomiting and other manifestations.

2. Causes of neonatal jaundice

(1) Physiological jaundice

Physiological jaundice in newborns is a phenomenon unique to the neonatal period, due to the fetus in the intrauterine hypoxic environment, the production of red blood cells in the blood is excessive, and this kind of red blood cells are mostly immature and easy to be destroyed, after the fetus is born, resulting in excessive bilirubin production, about twice that of adults.

The immature liver function of newborns restricts bilirubin metabolism and other reasons, resulting in jaundice in newborns for a period of time.

(2) Breast milk jaundice

Breast milk contains pregnenol hormone, which can inhibit the activity of glucuronosyltransferase in the liver of newborns, resulting in the inability of bilirubin in the blood to be metabolized and excreted in time, so the concentration of bilirubin in the blood increases, and the yellowing of the skin and sclera of newborns appears.

(3) Hemolytic jaundice

The most common cause of hemolytic jaundice is ABO hemolysis, which is caused by the incompatibility of the blood group between the mother and the fetus.

(4) Infectious jaundice

Jaundice occurs due to damage to liver cell function due to viral or bacterial infection. Most viral infections are intrauterine infections, with cytomegalovirus and hepatitis B virus being the most common, and other infections such as rubella virus, Epstein-Barr virus, and toxoplasma gondii are rare. Bacterial infections are most common with sepsis jaundice. It is characterized by persistent persistent physiological jaundice or persistent jaundice after physiological jaundice has resolved.

(5) Obstructive jaundice

Obstructive jaundice is mostly caused by congenital biliary malformations, and congenital biliary atresia is more common, and its jaundice is characterized by jaundice appearing again 1-2 weeks or 3-4 weeks after birth, gradually deepening, and at the same time, the color of the stool gradually changes to light yellow, or even white clay color, this kind of jaundice can be diagnosed by general B ultrasound examination.

3. What should I do if the neonatal jaundice does not go away?

Physiological jaundice does not need to be treated, and the following methods can be tried to make your baby's jaundice go away as soon as possible. If it is pathological jaundice, it is recommended to seek medical attention as soon as possible.

1. Replenish water appropriately

Giving the newborn some water is good for the excretion of bilirubin.

2. Bask in the sun

Bilirubin can produce conformational isomers, structural isomers and photooxidation products after irradiation, among which the formation of structural isomers is the most important, which can be quickly excreted from bile and urine without need to be metabolized by the liver, which is the main reason for the reduction of serum total bilirubin by phototherapy.

Note! Avoid direct sunlight on the newborn's eyes when basking in the sun, and control the time of sun exposure to about 20 minutes.

4. How to prevent neonatal jaundice

The prevention and care of neonatal jaundice should pay attention to the following points:

(1) Fetal yellow often affects the fetus due to the damp heat invasion of the pregnant mother, resulting in the appearance of fetal yellow after birth, so during pregnancy, the pregnant mother should pay attention to the diet, not eat raw and cold, but too hungry, and avoid alcohol and hot products, in order to prevent damage to the spleen and stomach.

(2) If a woman has given birth to a baby with fetal yellow, she should take precautions and take Chinese medicine on time when she becomes pregnant again.

(3) After the baby is born, the scleral jaundice should be closely observed, and jaundice should be treated as soon as possible, and the color change of jaundice should be observed to understand the progress and retreat of jaundice.

(4) Pay attention to the systemic symptoms of fetal yellow infants, such as malaise, drowsiness, difficulty sucking breastfeeding, anxiety, squintism, stiffness or convulsions of limbs, so as to detect and deal with severe children as soon as possible.

(5) Closely observe the changes in heart rate, heart sound, anemia degree and liver size, and prevent and treat heart failure early.

(6) Pay attention to protect the baby's skin, umbilicus and buttocks to prevent damage and infection.

(7) When exchange transfusion therapy is required, the air in the ward should be disinfected in time, blood and various drugs and articles should be prepared, and the operating procedures should be strictly followed.