Question
The newborn was hospitalized on the fourth day after birth due to high jaundice and was discharged after three days when the jaundice index returned to normal. However, the jaundice appeared again soon after returning home. How many days may the neonatal jaundice liver function persist continuously?
Answer
Neonatal jaundice usually appears 3 to 4 days after birth and naturally subsides in about a week. If the jaundice is still prominent half a month after birth, parents may worry about bile duct obstruction or liver dysfunction, and should seek professional advice from a pediatric hospital at this time. It is noteworthy that physiological neonatal jaundice may persist for about a month in many cases before it completely subsides. Therefore, even if the jaundice does not disappear within half a month, there is no need to be overly concerned, as this does not necessarily indicate a serious illness.