Question
How long does neonatal physiological jaundice usually take to disappear?
Answer
If a newborn develops jaundice, parents should not worry excessively, as timely treatment usually does not pose a problem. Physiological jaundice typically appears 2-3 days after birth, reaches its peak between 4-6 days, and disappears within 7-10 days. The duration for preterm infants may be longer, but aside from mild loss of appetite, there are no other clinical symptoms. If jaundice appears within 24 hours after birth, or does not disappear within 2-3 weeks, even deepens, or recurs after fading, or starts to appear within one week to several weeks after birth, these are all signs of pathological jaundice. For physiological jaundice, it is recommended to start breastfeeding as early as possible; for pathological jaundice, it is advised to seek hospital treatment for phototherapy or traditional Chinese medicine treatment.