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A condition that affects half of all newborns and between 7 and 8 in 10 premature babies

	Newborns get jaundice because too much of a substance called bilirubin builds up in their blood. Turn to ConsumerReportsHealth.org to learn more about why this happens and what can be done to treat it.
	Subscribe to ConsumerReportsHealth.org to find out more about light therapy (also called phototherapy), a top-rated treatment for jaundice.

We’ve brought together the best research about jaundice in newborn babies and weighed the evidence about how to treat it. You can use our information to talk with your doctor and decide which treatments are best for your baby.

Key points about jaundice in newborn babies

• Premature babies are at higher risk of developing jaundice because their livers are not as well developed and therefore cannot process bilirubin as well.
• Breastfed babies are also at greater risk of developing jaundice. Doctors think this is because breastfed babies may not get enough milk in the first few days after they're born. This means they get dehydrated and are less able to get rid of the bilirubin as waste.
• Jaundice usually goes away without treatment, but if treatment is necessary, light therapy (phototherapy) is the treatment of choice. This treatment works so well that few babies need any other treatment.
• To have light treatment, your baby is put in a crib with lights about eight inches from his or her body. The lights help the newborn baby’s body process the bilirubin.
• With fiberoptic light treatment, the baby is wrapped in a blanket that contains optical fibers that shine light on the baby. This type of light treatment does not work as well as regular light treatment.
• If the bilirubin level does not go down after light treatment, the baby may need an exchange transfusion (blood transfusion).

A substance called bilirubin is made when red blood cells that aren’t needed anymore break down. The liver changes the bilirubin to a form that can be eliminated from the body as waste. But sometimes, a newborn makes more bilirubin than his or her body can process and this causes jaundice.

We encourage you to read our entire condition report and to consult with your doctor to learn more about jaundice in newborn babies. As a Consumer Reports Health subscriber, you’ll have access to our expert research and recommendations, and you’ll be more confident and knowledgeable about which treatments are best for your baby.