Word parts
What it means
High bilirubin makes the skin and the whites of the eyes yellow (jaundiceJAWN-disYellow color of the skin, the whites of the eyes and other tissues from too much bilirubin in the blood.Full entry ). It is very common in newborns, whose livers are still immature: mild jaundice that appears after the first day is often normal. It can also come from liver disease, a blocked bile duct, or fast breakdown of red blood cells. In newborns, very high levels can damage the brain (kernicterus).
For the nurse
In newborns, report jaundice that appears in the first 24 hours, check bilirubin levels as ordered, and encourage frequent feeding, which helps the baby pass bilirubin in stool.
At a glance
| Spanish | hiperbilirrubinemia |
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Related terms
jaundice
Yellow color of the skin, the whites of the eyes and other tissues from too much bilirubin in the blood.
-emia
A word ending that means a condition of the blood, or something in the blood.
hyper-
A word beginning that means above, over or more than normal.
bilirubin
A yellow pigment made when old red blood cells break down, which the liver clears into bile.
phototherapy
Treatment with light, most often special blue light on a newborn's skin to lower the bilirubin level.