The First 28 Days: Why Ghana’s Newborns Need Our Urgent Attention
In Ghana, the first 28 days of a baby’s life are the most critical. While...
As a new parent, it’s natural to be concerned about your newborn’s health. One of the most common conditions you might encounter is neonatal jaundice. While it can sound alarming, understanding what it is and how it’s treated is the first step in ensuring your baby’s well-being.
Neonatal jaundice is a condition that causes a yellowish discoloration of a newborn’s skin and the whites of their eyes. It is caused by a build-up of a substance called bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a natural, yellow pigment released when the body breaks down old red blood cells.
A newborn’s liver is still immature and may not be fully capable of filtering bilirubin out of the bloodstream as quickly as it should. This temporary buildup is very common and affects a majority of newborns. In most cases, it is a mild and harmless condition that resolves on its own within a couple of weeks as the baby’s liver matures.
While most cases are mild, a dangerously high level of bilirubin can be very harmful. If left untreated, the bilirubin can pass into the brain and cause permanent damage, a rare but serious condition known as kernicterus. This is why it’s so important to monitor newborns for signs of jaundice and seek medical attention if symptoms worsen.
The main symptom is the yellowing of the skin, which typically starts on the face and head before spreading down to the chest and abdomen. You should also look for:
For mild cases, frequent feeding (breastfeeding or formula) helps the baby pass more stool, which in turn helps clear the bilirubin from their system. For more serious cases, the most common and effective treatment is phototherapy.
Phototherapy involves placing the baby under a special blue light. This light is absorbed by the skin and changes the bilirubin molecules into a form that the baby’s body can excrete more easily through urine and stool. This treatment is highly effective and is a cornerstone of modern neonatal care.
At NEOHIM Foundation, we are committed to ensuring that every health facility has the necessary equipment to combat neonatal jaundice. Our current project to procure phototherapy machines for Zenu Polyclinic is a perfect example of this. By providing these life-saving tools, we are helping healthcare providers effectively treat newborns with jaundice, preventing serious complications and giving babies a healthy start.
Your support in our mission directly contributes to making this vital equipment available where it is needed most.
