Question
Why do neonates develop physiological jaundice? How does this condition occur?
Answer
Neonatal jaundice refers to a condition during the neonatal period where an abnormal metabolism of bilirubin leads to an elevated bilirubin level in the blood, causing jaundice to appear on the skin, mucous membranes, and sclera. This condition is divided into physiological and pathological types. Physiological jaundice usually appears 2 to 3 days after birth, reaches its peak between 4 and 6 days, and naturally subsides between 7 and 10 days. The duration in premature infants may be longer, but there are no other clinical symptoms besides mild loss of appetite. If jaundice appears within 24 hours after birth, or does not subside after 2 to 3 weeks, or even worsens and recurs after subsiding, or if jaundice appears one week to several weeks after birth, these are all considered pathological jaundice.