Question
Doctor, recently there have been newborns who were born with jaundice symptoms and the condition has persisted for nearly a week without any improvement. How should we properly handle this situation?
Answer
Newborns often develop physiological jaundice within 3 to 4 days after birth. Generally, if jaundice persists for more than half a month, it may indicate pathological jaundice. Characteristics of pathological jaundice include severe or rapidly progressing jaundice, prolonged duration of jaundice (more than 2 weeks in full-term infants, more than 4 weeks in preterm infants), or recurrence after the jaundice has subsided. Any pathological jaundice caused by any reason should seek the underlying cause and undergo treatment, especially for preterm infants within one week, as well as those with severe hypoxia, acidosis, intracranial abnormalities, or severe infections. Early and aggressive treatment is necessary to avoid adverse consequences.