Neonatal liver function indexes to see jaundice mainly look at the liver function of direct bilirubin, indirect bilirubin, serum total bilirubin and so on.
If the serum total bilirubin is below 221μmol/L in term infants and below 257μmol/L in preterm infants, it is mostly physiologic jaundice, which appears after 2~3 days after birth and subsides within two weeks.
If the serum total bilirubin exceeds 221 μmol/L in term infants and 257 μmol/L in preterm infants, and the direct bilirubin is greater than 26 μmol/L, or the serum total bilirubin level rises by more than 85 μmol/L per day, the jaundice is usually pathologic. Pathologic jaundice usually appears within 24 hours after birth and may not subside within 2 weeks or even 1 month.
Newborns with jaundice are advised to seek prompt medical attention and treatment according to the doctor’s judgment to avoid delaying the condition.