neonatal jaundice

Neonatal jaundice is a common condition in newborns where the skin and whites of the eyes turn yellow due to an excess of bilirubin in the blood. This occurs because a newborn's liver is often not fully mature and may struggle to process bilirubin efficiently.1

There are three main types of jaundice: unconjugated, hepatocellular, and cholestatic. Neonatal jaundice is typically unconjugated, meaning the liver has difficulty processing bilirubin produced from the breakdown of red blood cells. While usually harmless and resolving within a few weeks as the liver matures, severe cases, particularly in premature infants, can lead to brain damage if bilirubin crosses into the brain. Phototherapy, or blue light exposure, is a common treatment to help convert bilirubin into harmless byproducts.12