• Many babies develop jaundice in the first few days after delivery.
  • It results in yellowing of the baby’s skin.
• It is caused by high levels of bilirubin, a substance released during the breakdown of red blood cells.
• The liver normally removes bilirubin  but in premature infants. the liver may not be able to get rid of the bilirubin fast enough.
• Phototherapy, a process requiring special lights to break down bilirubin, may be used as treatment.
  • After this, we will recheck their bilirubin levels to make sure they have decreased.

Reference:

AbbVie Corporation (Ed.). (2015). Preemie Parent Handbook (4th ed.). Canada: AbbVie Corportation.

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