Jaundice in breastfed infants

Abstract

Jaundice in the breastfed infant is unconjugated, nonhaemolytic hyperbilirubinemia in the healthy infant. It may present as an early form of jaundice as a result of caloric restriction during the first few days of life, and is known as early lactation jaundice or breast-feeding jaundice. The late form of infant jaundice is prolonged jaundice that can sometimes persists for 3-12 weeks of life. This form of jaundice is thought to be caused by inhibitory substances in the mother’s milk. It is known as breast-milk jaundice. In the evaluation process is essential to observe many clinical symptoms and weight gain of the infant, to exclude pathological causes of infant jaundice. The diagnostic approach should be rational to stop unnecessary tests. One of the diagnostic possibilities is identifying unsaturated fatty acid in human milk. This article especially accents the importance of the therapeutic approach. It is unnecessary to interrupt breast-feeding, but maintain breastfeeding as long as possible, together with therapeutic measures to decrease bilirubin, depending on whether it is the early or late form of lactation jaundice.