Q: Which doctor should I consult for cholestatic jaundice?
A: One must consult the primary physician who will recommend the required diagnostic tests to identify the cause of the jaundice. The patient will then be referred to a specialist (hepatologist or gastroenterologist) for appropriate therapeutic interventions.
Q: What is the difference between physiological jaundice and cholestatic jaundice in the newborn?
A: Physiological jaundice is caused because the immature liver of newborn is unable to effectively metabolize the bilirubin and resolves within 2 to 3 weeks. Cholestatic jaundice persists beyond the first 3 weeks of a newborn’s life and is due to congenital defects in liver and biliary tree, bile secretion and transport.
Q: What is the prognosis of cholestatic jaundice due to pregnancy?
A: Cholestatic jaundice in pregnancy resolves itself after the baby is born.
Q: Is cholestatic jaundice fatal?
A: In the case of infants, if cholestatic jaundice is diagnosed correctly in the early stages, then the infant can be treated effectively and fatal outcomes can be avoided. In adults, the prognosis depends on the cause and how soon it is detected.
