How jaundice occurs
Before birth, babies need high levels of red blood cells to get oxygen from their mother's blood. Immediately after birth, they no longer need their fetal haemoglobin, so the red blood cells containing fetal haemoglobin need to be broken down. Bilirubin is a by-product of the breakdown of these extra blood cells, and is removed from the bloodstream by the liver and excreted. The newborn's liver may not be able to process and excrete the bilirubin fast enough, so jaundice often develops.
Very rarely, bilirubin can rise to dangerous levels and cause brain damage, and jaundiced babies are usually monitored so treatment can be initiated before levels become problematic. Warning signs include jaundice that lasts for more than two weeks, very yellow urine and whitish stools.
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