Cause of Neonatal Jaundice in Babies and How to Treat It

Neonatal jaundice in a newborn baby is quite common. The baby will have bilirubin level in their bloodstream higher than average. Some of them might be physiological jaundice which commonly found in newborn babies. The treatment might not be needed since it’s not harmful. Meanwhile, pathological jaundice is caused by several factors such as increased bilirubin, the destruction of red blood cells, short-lived red blood cells, the destruction of red blood cells due to the lack of G-6-PD enzymes, thalassemia, infection in the mother's womb, abnormal bilirubin absorption in babies with bowel disorders, babies with problems regarding milk feeding, and the abnormality in bilirubin expelling found in hypothyroidism caused by certain medicines. Moreover, breast milk jaundice has also been reported.

Since neonatal jaundice has several causes, there’re guidelines when neonatal jaundice is found. The doctor will check patient’s information like the conceptual age, birth weight, any jaundice indications, milk feeding history, bowel movement, and physical examination to assess the baby's jaundice stage. Pathological jaundice also needs lab tests such as Hematocrit (Hct), bilirubin level, mother’s blood type, and the baby’s G-6-PD enzymes. Each baby will go through different lap tests depending on the suspected causes.

The goal of treating jaundice is to prevent and reduce bilirubin level so that it won’t be high enough to harm the baby’s brain, and have fewer complications as possible. The treatment will be applied according to the causes of the symptom such as phototherapy, blood transfusion, and medication. If you notice that your child has jaundice, you should bring him/her to see the doctor to determine the cause.