Children's Services | Newborn Jaundice Jaundice occurs because a yellow pigment called bilirubin builds up in the blood. Bilirubin is normally found in small amounts in the blood from the natural break down of old, damaged or abnormal red blood cells.
Understanding Jaundice Jaundice can occur in babies, children, and adults. Jaundice is not an illness, but a medical condition in which too much bilirubin - a compound produced by the breakdown of hemoglobin from red blood cells - is circulating in the blood.
Who is Jaundice? What is Jaundice? Where is Jaundice ... Jaundice, otherwise known as icterus, is yellowing of the skin, sclera (eyes) and mucous membranes caused by increased levels of bilirubin in the system. Usually the concentration of bilirubin in the blood must exceed 2-3mg/dL for the coloration to be easily visible.
Your Baby, Jaundice and Phototherapy Jaundice is a common, temporary. and usually harmless condition in newborn infants. It affects both full-term and premature babies, usually appearing during the first week of the baby's life.
