Question
When a newborn is breastfed, does the mother’s gestational diabetes affect the newborn’s jaundice? The newborn is 15 days old, and the umbilical cord stump eye has not dried, and the jaundice persists. What are the potential effects?
Answer
If neonatal jaundice presents with any of the following conditions, it should be considered pathological jaundice: jaundice appears within 24 hours after birth; the degree of jaundice is severe or progresses rapidly; jaundice lasts beyond the normal range (full-term infants over 2 weeks, preterm infants over 4 weeks); or jaundice recurs after subsiding. For any cause of pathological jaundice, it is essential to identify the cause and provide treatment, especially for preterm infants within one week of age, as well as for infants with severe hypoxia, acidosis, intracranial lesions, or severe infections. Early and aggressive treatment is necessary to prevent adverse outcomes.