Jaundice

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In fetal life, it is normal to have a high red blood cell count and over the first few days of life this gradually reduces to normal levels for a baby. When red blood cells break down, a byproduct called bilirubin is produced, which needs to be eliminated. When bilirubin levels are high, your baby's skin and the whites of their eyes may become yellow-tinged or jaundiced.

In Canada, it is recommended that your health care provider measure your baby's bilirubin level between 24-72 hours of life, and give you a specific recommendation for treatment or follow up, based on your baby's own bilirubin level. In most newborn infants, especially those born prematurely, jaundice is common and mild, appears during the first three to five days, and lasts only a few days. Typically the recommended treatment needed during this time is frequent Chest/Breastfeeding and/or formula feeding where the extra milk can help to get rid of the bilirubin.

When a newborn's bilirubin levels are extremely high, it can affect their brain cells causing them to be less active, irritable, or having trouble feeding. Babies with high levels may need treatment with a special light that makes bilirubin easier for the liver to process (called phototherapy) or in rare cases, need a procedure called an exchange transfusion (when bilirubin-rich blood is removed from the baby and replaced with blood that contains normal levels of bilirubin). Untreated high levels of bilirubin can lead to permanent brain damage.

For more information on jaundice, its causes, signs and symptoms, examinations and tests, treatment, and prevention, please visit the resources below.