Physiologic jaundice of the newborn:

it is the most common jaundice in the newborn and doesn’t require treatment,it occurres in 60% of the newborn 👶.

it is unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia 👌🏻

Mechanism:

1-increased bilirubin load on the liver:

• Short life span of RBCs
• high RBCs mass in the newborn 
• increased enteohepatic circulation of bilirubin from the intestine

2-decrease uptake by the liver due to transient immaturity of Z andY protein.

3-decrease conjugation of bilirubin in the liver due to immaturity of glucuronyl transferase enzyme 

Diagnostic criteria:

1. Baby looks healthy
2. urine and stool normal
3. bilirubin is of unconjugated type
4. appears in the second or third day of life
5. peaks around day 5
6. usually not exceed 14 days
7. usually not exceed 12mg/dl
8. daily rise not exceed 5 mg/dl

It may be prolonged in the preterm and babies suffers from hypothyroidism (thyroxine important for glucuronyl transferase maturation)

we should differentiate physiologic jaundice from breast milk jaundice:

Breast milk jaundice :appears in 7th day and peaks around 14th day

due to presence of some components in the milk which inhibit conjugation of the bilirubin just as pregnadiol and non estrified fatty acids

the mother stops breast feeding for 2 days replacing it with formula milk and then recontinues it again and the jaundice disappears.

waiting for your comments👶😃😃

if you need a specific topic just tell me.🤝