Neonatal Jaundice Specialists in Howrah, Kolkata, West Bengal

What is Neonatal Jaundice?

Neonatal jaundice is a common condition in newborns characterized by yellowing of the skin and eyes due to elevated levels of bilirubin, a yellow pigment produced during the normal breakdown of red blood cells. It occurs because a newborn's liver is often not yet mature enough to efficiently process and eliminate bilirubin in the first days of life, and because newborns naturally have a higher red blood cell turnover than adults. While most cases are mild and resolve on their own within one to two weeks, significantly elevated bilirubin levels can, in rare cases, cause serious brain damage if not identified and treated promptly.

Causes of Neonatal Jaundice

Most commonly results from the normal physiological immaturity of a newborn's liver combined with a higher rate of red blood cell breakdown typical in the first days of life. Other contributing causes include blood type incompatibility between mother and baby, prematurity, insufficient feeding leading to dehydration, and, less commonly, underlying liver disease or genetic conditions affecting bilirubin processing. Breastfeeding difficulties in the first days of life can worsen jaundice by reducing bilirubin elimination through stool.

Symptoms of Neonatal Jaundice

Yellowing of the skin, typically starting on the face and progressing downward to the chest and limbs, yellowing of the whites of the eyes, poor feeding, excessive sleepiness or lethargy, high-pitched crying in severe cases, dark urine or pale stools which may indicate a more serious underlying cause

Treatment & Types of Neonatal Jaundice in Howrah, Kolkata, West Bengal

Mild jaundice often requires only close monitoring and encouraging frequent breastfeeding or formula feeding to support bilirubin elimination. Higher bilirubin levels are treated with phototherapy, where the baby is exposed to special blue light that helps break down bilirubin in the skin for easier elimination. Severe cases that do not respond adequately to phototherapy may require an exchange transfusion to rapidly reduce dangerously high bilirubin levels and prevent brain damage.

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