Causes of Neonatal Jaundice

Causes of Neonatal Jaundice

Excessive red blood cell breakdown, and/or an immature liver are the reasons for Neonatal Jaundice.


Neonatal Jaundice can develop due to the following physiological reasons:

• Newborns have a high RBC volume and their breakdown increases the quantity of bilirubin in the blood.
• The newborn's liver is not adequately mature to process the excess bilirubin.

Other causes include:

• Blood group mismatch - ABO and Rh incompatibility
• Abnormalities in the shape and function of RBC leading to increased breakdown
• Extensive bruising during birth
• Cephalohematoma
• Congenital infections, e.g., Toxoplasmosis, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, Herpes Simplex, Syphilis etc.
• Infection (Hepatitis B) or other defects in the liver that impede the elimination of bilirubin

Breast-feeding can increase the chances of an infant developing Neonatal Jaundice. In a poorly feeding baby, bowel movements are infrequent and this prevents the bilirubin from being excreted in the stools. Mothers should, therefore, increase the frequency of breast-feeding in order to facilitate passage of stools. However, sometimes, high levels of a hormone present in the breast milk can interfere with the processing of bilirubin. In such cases breast-feeding may need to be interrupted till the bilirubin levels come down to normal.

Reference:

1. Mather, Cotton. The Angel of Bethesda. 1724 [Reprinted in Jones GW (ed). Barre, MA: American Antiquarian Society and Barre Publishers; 1972, p. 191.

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