Healthy Newborn Jaundices: Causes, Course, Prognosis

Abstract

HEALTHY NEWBORN JAUNDICES: CAUSES, COURSE, PROGNOSISJaundice in newborns is the most common symptom and in the vast majority of cases reflects the characteristics of bilirubin metabolism in the neonatal period. In healthy newborns there are two kinds of jaundice that do not require treatment and are caused by hyperbilirubinemia: physiologic and breastfeeding ones. Transient disturbance of the bilirubin clearance (indirect bilirubin conjugation) not affecting the child development lies at the core of a healthy newborn jaundice. Jaundice of breastfeeding differs by prolonged course (up to 2--3 months) while physical and psychomotor development of the child is not affected. However prolonged course (over 14 days of life) of jaundice requires determination of bilirubin and its fractions in dynamics to rule out more serious causes of hyperbilirubinemia.