If you’ve ever had a bruise, you may have noticed that the skin went through a series of color changes as it healed. When you saw yellow in the bruise, you were seeing bilirubin.
Normally, about 1% of our red blood cells retire every day, to be replaced by fresh red blood cells. The old ones are processed in the liver and disposed of. Much of the resulting bilirubin leaves the body in the stool.
If there are too many red blood cells retiring for the liver to handle, yellow pigment builds up in the body. When there is enough to be visible, jaundice results.
Jaundice can be caused by too many red blood cells retiring, by the liver being overloaded or damaged, or by the inability to move processed bilirubin from the liver through the biliary tract to the gut.
Most babies have some jaundice during the first week of life. The ordeal of birth can send many red blood cells to an early retirement (especially if a vacuum is used!), and babies’ livers are often unprepared for the load. Before mom’s milk comes in and stooling begins in earnest, bilirubin accumulates more easily. Jaundice is even more common in premature babies.
Newborn jaundice (2 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Newborn jaundice is a condition marked by high levels of bilirubin in the blood. The increased bilirubin cause the infant's skin and whites of the eyes (sclera) to look yellow. Reviewer: Alan Greene, MD, FAAP, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford UniversitySchool of Medicine, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital; Chief MedicalOfficer, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 09/06/2007
Jaundice-associated conditions (3 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Jaundice-associated conditions are diseases or conditions that cause yellow skin (jaundice. Reviewer: Jenifer K. Lehrer, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Frankford-Torresdale Hospital, Jefferson Health System, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 05/03/2007
Breast milk jaundice (2 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Breast milk jaundice is persistently high levels of bilirubin in a newborn's blood caused by certain substances found in breast milk. Bilirubin is a yellow-colored fluid that forms when red blood cells break down. Reviewer: Deirdre OReilly, MD, MPH, Neonatologist, Division of Newborn Medicine, Childrens Hospital Boston and Instructor in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Review Provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 09/28/2007
Gilbert's disease (2 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Gilbert's disease is a common disorder passed down through families that affects the way bilirubin is processed by the liver and causes jaundice. Reviewer: Jenifer K. Lehrer, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Frankford-Torresdale Hospital, Jefferson Health System, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 05/03/2007
Bilirubin (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Bilirubin is a product that results from the breakdown of hemoglobin. Total and direct bilirubin are usually measured to screen for or to monitor liver or gallbladder problems. Reviewer: Jenifer K. Lehrer, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Frankford-Torresdale Hospital, Jefferson Health System, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 01/22/2007
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