Jaundice- A common disease

Jaundice is a common disease seen not only in adults but also in new born babies.It is a yellowing of the skin, whites of the eyes, and body fluids. It is caused by an increase in the amount of bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a yellowish pigment that is produced from the breakdown of heme, mostly from hemoglobin and red blood cells (RBCs).It may be due to acute hepatitis,liver inflammation due to a variety of causes including hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E viral infections, alcohol abuse, and some medications and toxins. It is a matter of concern considering the new born babies. The newborn baby, however, often becomes jaundiced during the first few days because the liver enzyme which metabolizes bilirubin is relatively immature.Furthermore, newborn babies have more red blood cells than adults, and thus more are breaking down at any one time.The new born may be jundiced when it is infant of a diabetic mother.Some fears that jaundice is due to breast feeding but it should not stop.

Problems associated with high bilirubin are very rare. However, they are potentially very serious. Be sure to report any jaundice to your pediatrician for care.