Question
My little one has been born for about five days now, but the jaundice is quite noticeable. How long does the physiological jaundice in a normal baby usually last?
Answer
60-80% of newborns will experience physiological jaundice after birth. The duration of physiological jaundice varies depending on different situations. Typically, physiological jaundice appears 2-3 days after birth, reaches its peak between 4-6 days, and starts to fade after 7-10 days. For full-term newborns, jaundice usually disappears completely around 14 days; for premature infants, it takes about 20 days to completely disappear. If the bilirubin level in full-term newborns exceeds 13mg/dL, or in premature infants exceeds 15mg/dL, or if the bilirubin level increases by more than 5mg/dL in 24 hours or by more than 0.5mg/dL in 1 hour, it is considered pathological jaundice and requires timely intervention and treatment. If pathological jaundice is due to hemolytic conditions or viral hepatitis or cytomegalovirus infection, appropriate treatment is also necessary. Generally, pathological jaundice can resolve around 14 to 5 days after birth without recurring jaundice.