Question
My newborn is 15 days old and has developed jaundice since the third day after birth, which has not subsided yet. The face, conjunctiva, and gums are yellowish, with the body being less obvious yellow. The stool color is yellow, and the frequency and color of urine are normal. At what severity does newborn jaundice require hospitalization?
Answer
Jaundice can be categorized into physiological and pathological types. Physiological jaundice usually appears 2 to 3 days after birth, reaches its peak between 4 to 6 days, and subsides between 7 to 10 days. Premature infants may experience a longer duration, with only mild loss of appetite as a clinical symptom. If jaundice appears within 24 hours after birth, or persists for 2 to 3 weeks without improvement, or recurs after subsiding, or appears within one week to several weeks after birth, it is considered pathological jaundice. For physiological jaundice, it is recommended to start breastfeeding early; for pathological jaundice, hospital treatment with phototherapy or traditional Chinese medicine is required. In addition, it is suggested that parents pay attention to the newborn’s diet and health in daily life.