What are the complications of neonatal jaundice?

What are the complications of neonatal jaundice?

This yellow coloring is called jaundice. When severe jaundice goes untreated for too long, it can cause a condition called kernicterus. Kernicterus is a type of brain damage that can result from high levels of bilirubin in a baby’s blood. It can cause athetoid cerebral palsy and hearing loss.

What happens if neonatal jaundice is not treated?

Bilirubin Levels and Jaundice in Newborns If the yellow coloring of a baby’s skin and in the whites of the eyes goes unrecognized and the jaundice is not treated, a condition called kernicterus can develop.

Is jaundice life threatening in newborns?

Newborn jaundice is not harmful most of the time. For most babies, jaundice will get better without treatment within 1 to 2 weeks. A very high level of bilirubin can damage the brain. This is called kernicterus.

What is the most common cause of jaundice in pregnancy?

In the first trimester of pregnancy, the most common cause of jaundice is viral hepatitis. Other considerations include drug-induced hepatotoxicity, septicemia, and cholelithiasis/choledocholithiasis. The most common types of viral hepatitis that may occur during pregnancy are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.

Which food can cause jaundice?

Sugar. Refined sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, and other forms of processed sugar can also cause fat buildup in the liver. Many processed foods that are high in sugar are also high in fat, doubling the risk of damage. Try reaching for a piece of fruit or low-fat, low-sugar yogurt the next time you get a sweet tooth.

How can I prevent jaundice during pregnancy?

Can newborn jaundice be prevented? There’s no real way to prevent newborn jaundice. During pregnancy, you can have your blood type tested. After birth, your baby’s blood type will be tested, if necessary, to rule out the possibility of blood type incompatibility that can lead to newborn jaundice.

How do they check for jaundice during pregnancy?

Tests for jaundice If your baby has jaundice lasting more than 2 weeks — especially if their poos are pale or their wees are dark — they’ll need a blood test to check the ‘conjugated bilirubin’ levels in the blood.