Patient's question:
Born 19 days ago, jaundice test results: head 5.9, chest 15.5, feet 6.6. The doctor recommended hospitalization for treatment. I want to ask if it's serious and whether hospitalization is necessary.Doctor's answer:
Neonatal jaundice refers to a condition characterized by the yellowing of the skin, eyes, and urine in newborns, which is known as "Taihuang" in traditional Chinese medicine. If jaundice appears within 24 hours after birth and persists for 2 to 3 weeks without resolving, or if it worsens, reappears after initially fading, or if it does not appear until one to several weeks after birth, it is considered pathological jaundice.Recommendation: Neonatal jaundice can be either true or false. True jaundice refers to pathological jaundice, such as neonatal hemolytic disease, neonatal sepsis, neonatal hepatitis, congenital biliary atresia, and other conditions. In contrast, false jaundice specifically refers to physiological jaundice, which does not require treatment. Physiological jaundice is observed when jaundice is detected 24 hours after birth and naturally resolves within 14 days without other symptoms.