Prolonged jaundice screen
Read our guide below about jaundice screening.
You can also download a PDF version of this patient information by following the link on the right.
Your midwife, health visitor or doctor has asked you to come to the unit for a prolonged jaundice screen.
What is jaundice?
Jaundice refers to the yellow colour of the skin and the whites of the eyes. It’s caused by high levels of bilirubin in the blood. The liver breaks down the old red blood cells and this produces a waste called bilirubin.
The liver filters the bilirubin and passes it out of the body in the form of wee and poo.
Jaundice is very common in newborn babies. The bilirubin levels just after birth build up too fast for the baby’s immature liver to filter it all out, causing jaundice.
What is prolonged jaundice?
It’s where the jaundice lasts for more than 14 days in babies born at 37 weeks or more, and 21 days in babies who were born pre-term.
How common is prolonged jaundice?
Prolonged jaundice is very common especially in babies who are breastfed. This may last up to 3 months of age.
What happens at your appointment?
Whilst on the unit your baby will be weighed and have a blood test. The blood test is taken from a vein in the back of the hand or foot. Many babies cry during the test, but they soon settle afterwards. You can stay with your baby while the blood test is done if you wish.
These tests will help us check if there is an infection, blood disorder or liver disease.
We’ll ask you about the colour of your baby’s poo.
A nurse will examine your baby and ask you a series of questions about your baby’s feeding, behaviour and general wellbeing.
Results
The nurse will contact you the next working day with the blood results. Sometimes we may need you to repeat the tests – the nurse will explain why this is necessary.
Most of the babies we see will have reassuring blood tests and diagnosed as having breast milk jaundice which should settle over a few weeks. If you feel your baby’s getting worse or you notice a change in the colour of their poo or wee, see your GP.
Contact us
01494 426487 – Wycombe Hospital
01296 316426 – Stoke Mandeville Hospital
About this information
This is intended as general information only. We make the information as up to date and accurate as possible, but it’s subject to change. Check specific advice on any concerns you may have with your doctor.
How can you help reduce healthcare associated infections?
Infection prevention and control is important to the wellbeing of our patients so we have infection prevention and control procedures in place. Keeping your hands clean is an effective way of preventing the spread of infections. Follow our infection prevention and control guidelines when visiting our healthcare sites.