Patient's question:
Experts, good day. My sister's baby is just half a month old. Recently, for some reason, the baby has started showing jaundice. I took him to the hospital for a check-up, and the measured jaundice index was 18.3. I would like to ask if this is normal and if medication is needed. Thank you.Doctor's answer:
Normal newborns have a maximum bilirubin level of about 51.3 μmol/L (3 mg/dL), reaching a peak around 4 days after birth, generally not exceeding 171–205 μmol/L (10–12 mg/dL). Premature infants should not exceed 256.5 μmol/L (15 mg/dL), after which it gradually recovers. The Van den Bergh test shows an indirect reaction. Bilirubin is negative in the urine, while bile pigments increase in the feces.