Bilirubin Range For Newborns

Infant jaundice is a common condition particularly in babies born before 38 weeks gestation preterm babies and some breast fed babies.

Bilirubin range for newborns.

He or she will be put under a type of fluorescent light to treat the jaundice. The cause of the jaundice is quite varied. The indirect bilirubin level in the bloodstream is the total bilirubin minus the direct bilirubin levels in the bloodstream. Bilirubin levels can cause concern for parents whose newborns are suspected to have jaundice.

Kidshealth notes that high serum bilirubin levels indicate newborn jaundice which has symptoms that include the yellowing of eyes and skin difficulty feeding and excessive sleepiness. When jaundice is left untreated and serum bilirubin levels exceed 25 milligrams there is a risk of brain damage cerebral palsy and deafness. The skin absorbs the light which changes the bilirubin so that the body can more easily get rid of it. Your baby will need treatment if the bilirubin level is above the normal range for newborns.

Although most causes are benign each case must be investigated to rule out an etiology with significant morbidity. Additionally normal reference ranges may vary from lab to lab. Hyperbilirubinemia excess bilirubin in the blood is an extremely common problem occurring during the newborn period. Newborns with high levels of bilirubin have a condition that doctors call.

1 2 milligrams per deciliter mg dl for adults. Bilirubin levels in newborns. Total bilirubin direct and indirect range from about 0 2 to 1 2 mg dl some lab values range as high as 1 9 mg dl. Infant jaundice occurs because the baby s blood contains an excess of bilirubin bil ih roo bin a yellow pigment of red blood cells.

Because the bilirubin has a color it turns babies shin and eyes yellow jaundice. Newborn jaundice is a yellowing of a baby s skin and eyes. Bilirubin can be described as the yellowish substance that is produced by the liver when old cells are broken down. The treatment is usually done in a hospital.

The approximate normal range of bilirubin in the blood serum is. Infant jaundice usually occurs because a baby s liver isn t mature. This is called phototherapy. A common condition it can occur when babies have a high level of bilirubin a yellow pigment produced during the breakdown of red.

However at times it is possible for the amount of bilirubin in the body to rise to a very high level which in turn can lead to serious health complications. It s estimated that 60 of full term and 80 of premature babies develop jaundice hyperbilirubinaemia in the first week after birth.