Around the world, more babies are being diagnosed with newborn jaundice, but fewer are dying or becoming seriously disabled from it, according to a recent analysis published in BMC Pediatrics.
Newborn jaundice causes yellowing of the skin and eyes due to an excess of bilirubin in the blood, and it remains a major health issue worldwide. It can cause long-term brain problems and even death. One cause of newborn jaundice is hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN), which happens when a mother’s antibodies attack her baby’s red blood cells because their blood types don’t match.
The study looked at how common this condition was from 1990 to 2021 and predicted what might happen up to 2050.
The researchers found that since 1990, the number of jaundice cases has gone up a lot, but the number of deaths and severe health damage has gone down. Even though overall harm has decreased, the total number of babies with jaundice has risen because more babies are being born and surviving.
Researchers found that boys were affected more often than girls. Risks that may increase the likelihood of jaundice included low birth weight, being born too early and air pollution. The condition is more common in low- and middle-income regions.
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The researchers used data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study. They compared differences between countries and regions, looked at changes over time, and made predictions for the future.
Experts think cases of neonatal jaundice will keep rising, but deaths will continue to fall.
The researchers said that to meet the United Nation’s goal of ending preventable newborn deaths by 2030, all regions need fair access to screening, light treatment (phototherapy) and G6PD testing (a blood test used to investigate causes of jaundice in newborns).
They also said that better technology, more investment in mother-and-baby care and clean-air policies “could transform outcomes for millions of newborns.”
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