Patient's question:
What is physiological jaundice, when is pathological jaundice, and how to distinguish between them?Doctor's answer:
Disease Analysis: Hello, first of all, it is necessary to determine whether your child is a preterm infant or a full-term infant, as there are slight differences in the onset dates of physiological jaundice and pathological jaundice between the two. The characteristics of physiological jaundice are that full-term infants develop jaundice 2-3 days after birth, peak at 4-5 days, and disappear by 5-7 days, with the latest not exceeding 2 weeks. Preterm infants typically develop jaundice 3-5 days after birth, peak at 5-7 days, and disappear by 7-9 days, with the longest delay possible being 3-4 weeks. Note that the daily increase in serum bilirubin should be less than 85. Pathological jaundice appears within 24 hours after birth, with full-term infants having serum bilirubin levels greater than 221 and preterm infants greater than 257, or a daily increase greater than 85. The duration of jaundice in full-term infants should be greater than 2 weeks, and in preterm infants, greater than 4 weeks. Jaundice that reappears after subsiding, or serum conjugated bilirubin levels greater than 34, are also indicators of pathological jaundice.Advice: Physiological jaundice often resolves on its own over time and is a normal physiological phenomenon in newborns. In contrast, pathological jaundice is usually caused by underlying conditions, common causes include excessive bilirubin production, liver dysfunction in bilirubin metabolism, and bile excretion disorders. Early differentiation between physiological jaundice and pathological jaundice is highly beneficial for subsequent diagnosis and treatment.