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Jaundice
Jaundice is a yellow discolouration of the skin, whites of the eyes and mucous membranes.
There are lots of reasons why people develop jaundice. It is quite common in newborn babies. It generally appears on day two or three in about 50 per cent of all healthy, full-term babies and on day three to five in about 80 per cent of premature babies. Jaundice usually clears up in one or two weeks.
In adults, jaundice can be an indication of more serious health problems. It can develop as a result of:
- alcohol and other drugs (legal and illegal) damaging the liver
- Hepatitis A, B and C
- gallstones
- tumours
- prosthetic heart valves
- sickle cell crisis
- reaction to a blood transfusion.
What are the signs or symptoms?
- Yellow pigment in the skin and the whites of the eyes
- dark urine
- pale bowel motions.
What should I do about jaundice?
You should see your general practitioner as soon as possible if you think you or your baby has jaundice.
Where can I get more information?
Talk to your general practitioner.
See alsoWhat is jaundice? from the Southwest Washington Medical Center.
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