Question
Can newborn jaundice be treated with intravenous therapy?
Answer
In medicine, jaundice in newborns under one month of age (within 28 days after birth) is referred to as neonatal jaundice. Neonatal jaundice refers to the yellowing of the skin, mucous membranes, and sclera due to abnormal bilirubin metabolism, resulting in elevated bilirubin levels in the blood. It has both physiological and pathological characteristics. Physiological jaundice usually appears 2 to 3 days after birth, reaches its peak between 4 and 6 days, and subsides between 7 and 10 days, with a longer duration. If jaundice occurs within 24 hours after birth and does not disappear within 2 to 3 weeks, or if it recurs after further worsening or sinking, or if it begins to appear one week to several weeks after birth, it is considered pathological jaundice. Pathological jaundice should be treated. Oral probiotics can be considered.