Question
A three-day-old male infant has been diagnosed with hemolytic jaundice, with a jaundice level of 17. Since the baby is still very young, the family would like to know what the upper limit of the normal jaundice level is for newborns?
Answer
Jaundice in newborns is a common phenomenon, primarily caused by the incomplete maturity of the baby’s liver function, leading to abnormal bilirubin metabolism and an increased concentration of bilirubin in the blood. Newborn jaundice can be categorized into physiological jaundice and pathological jaundice. The normal range of newborn jaundice is based on the serum bilirubin level. Generally, for full-term infants, the serum bilirubin should not exceed 204 micromoles/liter (12 mg/dL), while for premature infants, it should not exceed 255 micromoles/liter (15 mg/dL).