Page Contents
OVERVIEW
This page is dedicated to covering the differential diagnosis for jaundice in the newborn baby. This differential will be organized by disease categories.
WHAT ARE THE MAJOR DISEASE CATEGORIES?
When thinking about the differential for jaundice in the newborn baby the following disease categories come to mind:
- Infectious
- Structural
- Inherited
- Other
WHAT ARE INFECTIOUS CAUSES OF THIS CONDITION?
Here are some examples of infectious causes that can be responsible for jaundice in the newborn baby:
- Sepsis: this can cause direct hyperbilirubinemia
WHAT ARE STRUCTURAL CAUSES OF THIS CONDITION?
Here are some examples of structural causes that can be responsible for jaundice in the newborn baby:
WHAT ARE INHERITED CAUSES OF THIS CONDITION?
Here are some examples of inherited causes that can be responsible for jaundice in the newborn baby:
- Gilbert: random inherited cause of indirect hyperbilirubinemia
- Crippler-Najjar (type 1): random inherited cause of indirect hyperbilirubinemia
- Rubin Johnson: random inherited cause of direct hyperbilirubinemia
- Rotor: random inherited cause of direct hyperbilirubinemia
WHAT ARE OTHER CAUSES OF THIS CONDITION?
Here are some examples of other causes that can be responsible for jaundice in the newborn baby:
- Physiological jaundice: the liver in these newborns is not yet mature enough to conjugate bilirubin.
- Breastfeeding failure jaundice: lactation failure can result in decreased bilirubin elimination as well as increased enterohepatic circulation.
- Breast milk jaundice: high levels of β-glucuronidase in great milk deconjugates intestinal bilirubin and increased enterohepatic circulation.
Page Updated: 11.24.2016