Posted: 09/03/2023
This article in our birth injury series looks at jaundice in newborn babies, how this can arise, and when it can lead to serious complications.
Jaundice is caused by a substance in the blood called bilirubin. Bilirubin is made from red blood cells that have broken down, and is yellow in colour. If the bilirubin builds up too much in the blood and cannot be broken down by the liver, jaundice can develop.
The condition can be detected with a blood test. It is very common in newborns and often it resolves itself in the first couple of weeks of life. However, if it does not resolve, and if timely and appropriate treatment is not provided, it can have very serious consequences.
Jaundice often presents with a yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes, yellow urine (newborn urine is usually clear in colour) or pale faeces.
The usual treatment for jaundice is phototherapy (light therapy). More serious cases may require a blood transfusion.
The condition is common in newborns as their livers are not fully developed, and so it takes them longer to break down red blood cells. Sometimes, jaundice is caused by an underlying health problem or infection that needs to be investigated further.
Babies born before 38 weeks are at higher risk of jaundice, as well as those that have a different blood type from their mother.
Jaundice is often picked up in the first 72 hours after birth, by the doctors doing a visual check to look for yellowing of the skin. However, symptoms can sometimes be missed. Visual checks are subjective, and can be more difficult for babies with darker skin, meaning that some ethnicities are at greater risk of a diagnosis of jaundice being delayed.
If the diagnosis is missed, or for some other reason appropriate treatment is not begun promptly, jaundice can cross from the blood into the brain and cause damage. This condition is known as kernicterus; fortunately, it is rare, but it can be extremely serious. If brain damage occurs, this can have a lifelong impact on the child and their family.
If your baby has suffered from jaundice or kernicterus which you think may have been avoidable, you may be able to make a claim for compensation. Our specialist birth injury team can offer an informal discussion to let you know if we can help and what your options are. Please call us on 0800 328 9545, email clinnegspecialist@penningtonslaw.com or complete our online assessment form.
Previous articles in this series:
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