Patient's question:
A baby is 8 days old, and the jaundice hasn't subsided yet, but they can eat and sleep. In the past two days, both their urine and stool have been yellow. Is this normal?Doctor's answer:
Neonatal jaundice is a yellow discoloration of the skin, sclera, and mucous membranes in newborns, also known as neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. The etiology is both specific and complex. Severe cases can lead to bilirubin encephalopathy (kernicterus), often resulting in death and severe sequelae. Neonatal jaundice is generally classified as physiological jaundice and pathological jaundice. Physiological jaundice is a normal physiological phenomenon. Due to the metabolic characteristics of bilirubin in newborns, approximately 60% of full-term infants and over 80% of preterm infants may develop jaundice within 3-5 days after birth, but the overall condition is good. Jaundice in full-term infants usually resolves within 14 days, while jaundice in preterm infants may persist and take up to 3-4 weeks to fully resolve.