Guideline summary · Pediatrics · 6 min read
Jaundice in newborn babies
Which jaundice is dangerous, how to measure it and when to treat.
Key points
- Jaundice in the first 24 hours is always pathological: measure serum bilirubin urgently.
- Do not rely on visual inspection to estimate the bilirubin level.
- Transcutaneous bilirubin can be used in babies of 35 weeks or more and older than 24 hours.
- Plot bilirubin on gestation-specific treatment threshold graphs to decide on phototherapy.
- Prolonged jaundice (over 14 days at term, over 21 days preterm) needs a conjugated bilirubin to exclude biliary atresia.
Summary based on NICE guideline CG98, Jaundice in newborn babies under 28 days (2010, last updated 2023). A study aid, not a substitute for the current guideline or local protocols.
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