Jaundice in newborns is a phenomenon that can cause concern for parents, but most often it is associated with physiological processes characteristic of the early period of infant life. The cause of icteric staining of the skin and mucous membranes is the excessive accumulation of bile pigment - bilirubin - in the tissues..

In almost all cases, jaundice is a sign of ill health, and only the body of a newborn baby is characterized by a physiological increase in bilirubin levels. Red blood cells containing a special form of hemoglobin circulate in the blood of a newborn child - the so-called fetal or “fetal” hemoglobin..

The lifespan of red blood cells with the fetal form of hemoglobin is significantly lower than that of ordinary “adult” red blood cells. As a result, in the first days of a baby’s life, massive death of red blood cells occurs, which is accompanied by the release of bilirubin into the blood. Liver enzymes are involved in the metabolism of this pigment.. Since the liver enzymatic system in newborn babies is functionally immature, bilirubin is metabolized slowly and deposited in tissues.

Physiological jaundice appears on the second or third day of a newborn’s life and lasts up to 14 days in full-term toddlers and up to 21 days in premature babies.. Physiological jaundice usually does not require treatment. However, it is important that the doctor monitors the baby’s condition during this period and recommends the necessary measures.

The task of the mother is to monitor the feeding of the baby and his stool, since proper nutrition and the removal of excess bilirubin through the feces will help speed up the child's recovery process.

e-news. com. ua.