Jaundice is a yellowish appearance of the skin and the whites of the eyes that occurs to some degree in most newborns. The coloration usually develops by the second or third day of life but gradually disappears by the time the baby is 10 days old.
A fetus’ waste products are removed through the placenta. Once the baby is born, his or her own body must flush out waste. It can take several days, or even weeks, for a baby to be able to remove waste products effectively. In the first few days of a baby’s life, some waste products – such as bilirubin – accumulate. Too much bilirubin causes the onset of jaundice.
Jaundice usually is not dangerous, but it can signal other health concerns if it lasts longer than a couple of weeks. If a baby is premature, jaundice may result because the liver needs more time to develop, or the baby’s thyroid gland may not be functioning properly. In rare instances, increasing or prolonged jaundice may be the only indication that a baby may have a serious liver problem.
