Skip to main content

Jaundice in newborns

Jaundice is a yellow tint to a newborn's skin and the white part of the eyes. It is a sign that there's too much bilirubin in the baby's blood. This is called hyperbilirubinemia. Most babies with jaundice will get better without treatment, but they should be monitored carefully. If severe jaundice isn't treated, it can lead to serious lifelong problems.

Most babies have physiologic jaundice, which happens because a baby's organs aren't yet able to get rid of excess bilirubin very well. In rare cases, jaundice may be a sign of another condition, such as an infection, a digestive system problem, or blood-type incompatibility with the mother.

 
 

PeaceHealth endeavors to provide comprehensive health care information, however some topics in this database describe services and procedures not offered by our providers or within our facilities because they do not comply with, nor are they condoned by, the ethics policies of our organization.