The nurse who is admitting a newborn to the nursery observes a fetal scalp monitor site on the scalp

Jaundice shows up in babies as a yellowish tinge to the skin and eyes.
Jaundice is very common in newborn babies – about six out of 10 newborns have jaundice to varying degrees.
Jaundice is caused by an excess of a chemical called bilirubin.
Most jaundice is ‘physiological jaundice.
Physiological jaundice will resolve by itself once the baby's liver is functioning at full speed.
In babies where jaundice levels are very high in the days after birth, treatment using blue lights (phototherapy) may be required.
Other less common causes of jaundice include blood group differences between mother and baby, haemolytic anaemia, hepatitis and galactosaemia.

Newborn babies are often affected by jaundice, which makes their skin and eyes have a yellowish tinge. Jaundice is caused by a build-up of a chemical called bilirubin in the baby’s blood and tissues. Bilirubin is normally processed by the liver, but a newborn's liver takes a few days to process it, so about six out of 10 newborns have some degree of jaundice. The condition is more common among premature babies. This normal process results in what we call ‘physiological jaundice’.

Jaundice usually appears on the second or third day. If your baby is full-term and healthy, mild jaundice is nothing to worry about and will resolve by itself within a week or so. However, a premature or sick baby or a baby with very high levels of bilirubin will need close monitoring and medical treatments.

Occasionally, underlying blood and liver conditions can also cause jaundice in babies. These conditions include blood group antibodies, haemolytic anaemia, hepatitis and galactosaemia.

Symptoms of jaundice in babies

The symptoms of jaundice in babies depend on the cause and severity, but may include:

a yellow tinge to the skin, usually appearing first on the face and scalp
a yellow tinge to the white parts of the eyes (sclera)
a yellow tinge spreading to the skin of the body (in moderate jaundice)
palms of the hands and soles of the feet turning yellow (in severe jaundice)
unusual drowsiness
feeding difficulties
in some cases, light-coloured faeces (poo) and dark urine.

Talk to the maternity staff if you have any concerns about your baby showing any of these symptoms.

Physiological jaundice

Bilirubin is a waste product of the body’s break-down of old and damaged red blood cells. The liver helps to eliminate bilirubin as waste. In the mother’s uterus, the baby's bilirubin is sent down the umbilical cord and eliminated by the mother's body. After birth, the baby's liver has to eliminate the bilirubin itself, and it can take a few days for the liver to function at full speed. In the meantime, the excess bilirubin in the baby's body causes symptoms of jaundice.

Every newborn has elevated bilirubin levels, and around 60 per cent of full-term babies will have noticeable symptoms. Treatment isn't usually necessary, unless the baby has very high bilirubin levels, or is premature or sick. Dehydration (loss of water) or poor weight gain can make jaundice worse.

More rarely, jaundice may be caused by the following conditions:

Treatment for jaundice in babies depends on the cause, but may include:

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