Most babies are born with jaundice. Neonatal jaundice is generally physiological jaundice, but there are also pathological jaundice. Some parents are very concerned about their baby's jaundice, in fact, jaundice usually subsides on its own. How long does it take for jaundice in newborns to subside?
Most neonatal jaundice is physiological jaundice, which is a brief increase in blood bilirubin during the normal development of newborns. It does not harm newborns and does not require treatment. However, due to certain diseases, a small number of newborns may develop pathological jaundice. In severe cases, it can endanger the baby's brain, affect life, and even lead to death. Therefore, it is crucial to distinguish between physiological jaundice and pathological jaundice to avoid delaying or expanding diagnosis and treatment, and to avoid unnecessary damage to newborns.
Physiological jaundice: The skin of newborns turns yellow 2-3 days after birth and reaches its peak 4-5 days later. Mild cases may show jaundice in the face and neck, while severe cases may show jaundice in the trunk and limbs. Feces are yellow and urine is non yellow. Generally speaking, there are no symptoms. Occasionally, there may be mild drowsiness and loss of appetite. The jaundice of normal newborns subsides within 7-10 days, while premature infants may experience a delay of 2-4 weeks.
Pathological jaundice: However, if a baby develops jaundice within 24 hours after birth, and the jaundice gradually worsens every day, with dark yellow or orange skin all over the body, or yellow and black skin, lighter or grayish white stool color, dark yellow urine color, or prolonged jaundice duration of 2-4 weeks or more, it may be pathological jaundice.
