Jaundice During Pregnancy

Pregnant, jaundiced patients should be managed in conjunction with the obstetrician. Patients who present with jaundice in the third trimester may require delivery.

Neonatal jaundice

Well appearing neonates with a bilirubin <15 mg/dL can safely be discharged home with close outpatient follow-up.

Neonatal jaundice can often be physiological due to increased break down of premature erythrocytes and insufficient glucuronyl transferase in the newborn liver. However, jaundice persisting after two weeks requires investigation.

Neonatal jaundice is treated with phototherapy. Quick and accurate treatment of neonatal jaundice reduces the risk of development of kernicterus through deposition of bilirubin in the basal ganglia. Exchange transfusion is an aggressive treatment to lower bilirubin levels.