Why do newborn babies get jaundice?
I don't know.
Each red blood cell in our blood lives for about 120 days.
Once it gets old, it is broken down into smaller components.
One of them is bilirubin.
Bilirubin is a yellowish waste compound.
Hence, our liver removes the bilirubin from our blood which is then excreted by the body through intestines.
However, if bilirubin is not removed, its level in the blood starts to rise.
Excess bilirubin begins to get deposited in the body tissues.
As a result, the skin and white areas of eyes appear yellow, thus causing jaundice.
Now, a newborn baby's liver is still developing.
Thus, it cannot efficiently remove bilirubin from blood, thus causing it jaundice.
Usually, jaundice is normal in babies and will disappear in some days as the baby grows.
However, if it doesn't disappear, we should immediately consult a doctor.