Question
At 45 days old, a newborn still has jaundice in the eye bags and face. Is this a pathological jaundice or breastfeeding jaundice?
Answer
Breastfed infants may experience a recurrence of jaundice between 4 to 7 days after birth, which typically peaks between 2 to 4 weeks, with serum bilirubin levels ranging from 256.6 to 342.0μmol/L. The infants are generally in good condition without signs of hemolysis or anemia. Jaundice usually lasts for 3 to 4 weeks, gradually fading in the second month, and in rare cases, may take up to 10 weeks to completely disappear. If the jaundice significantly reduces within 3 to 4 days after discontinuing breastfeeding, with a bilirubin increase of ≥50%, it may be breastfeeding jaundice. During breastfeeding, the jaundice may not reappear, or if it does, it will not reach the current level.