Question
What are the causes of neonatal jaundice? Why do some infants have higher jaundice levels at birth, while others do not?
Answer
Neonatal jaundice is a common phenomenon, with about 60% of full-term infants and 80% of premature infants developing visible jaundice within the first week after birth. The cause of jaundice is closely related to the bilirubin metabolism characteristics of infants, including relatively high bilirubin production, insufficient uptake of bilirubin by liver cells, poor binding capacity of plasma albumin to bilirubin, defective bilirubin excretion, and increased enterohepatic circulation. These factors work together to increase the level of bilirubin in the neonate’s body, leading to the development of jaundice.