Question

Which one of the following is not the reason for the excess load of bilirubin in a newborn?

• A. Excessive red blood corpuscles in the newborn burst releasing the bilirubin
• B. The liver of the newborn is too young to cope up with the heavy load of bilirubin
• C. Mother's milk contain a high amount of bilirubin
• D. Insoluble bilirubin in the intestine is reabsorbed by the blood

Answer 1

The correct option is C Mother's milk contain a high amount of bilirubin

During pregnancy, placenta helps the baby's liver in proper functioning which includes the processing of the bilirubin. At birth, the baby's liver normally takes a few days before the liver is fully functional. If it takes a longer period, then the bilirubin deposits in the skin to give the yellowish colour of jaundice. Preterm babies are more prone to this problem. This form of neonatal jaundice is referred to as physiological jaundice because it is essentially a prolongation of a normal process.