Recently, a debate emerged on Facebook among women regarding the advice given to mothers during antenatal care to avoid dressing newborns in yellow. Some women were unfamiliar with this advice, while others believed it was to facilitate the detection of yellow skin discolouration, a sign of jaundice.
Medical experts have since clarified that yellow clothing in the first week of a newborn’s life can interfere with visually detecting jaundice.
According to the National Library of Medicine, in an article, “Newborn jaundice”, newborn jaundice, also known as neonatal hyperbilirubinemia or neonatal jaundice, occurs when a baby has a high level of bilirubin in the blood
Bilirubin is a yellow substance that the body creates when it replaces old red blood cells. The liver helps break down the substance so it can be removed from the body in the stool.
However, jaundice is very common in newborn babies because they have a high number of red blood cells in their blood, which are broken down to be replaced; meanwhile, their liver is not fully developed, so it’s less effective at removing the bilirubin from the blood, hence the cause of newborn jaundice.
The study also noted that newborn jaundice could be severe if there are conditions that increase the number of red blood cells that need to be replaced in the body, such as abnormal blood cell shapes, blood type mismatch between the mother and baby, bleeding underneath the scalp (cephalohematoma) caused by a difficult delivery, lack of certain important proteins called enzymes, and infection.
Clarifying the issue of the newborn babies and yellow dressing, a specialist in strengthening healthcare systems, Dr Biobele Davidson, told THE WHISTLER that “Wearing your newborn yellow cloth will give you that disparity that people are unable to tell when the child is having jaundice.”
Davidson further explained that jaundice occurs when the blood cells are lysed rapidly (broken down very fast) and stay in the bloodstream. The breaking of cells continues, leading to the release of bilirubin, she noted.
She also explained that jaundice in newborns can be physiological or pathological. Physiological occurs in the first few days of life (2-4 days) and resolves in the first 2 weeks of life.
She added that pathological jaundice, on the other hand, persists further, but in formula-fed babies, it usually subsides on its own within two weeks.
She said, “Breastfed babies may experience it for a longer duration, potentially up to a month or longer.”
This bilirubin, she said, when released in large quantities, causes the body to begin to display a yellowish discolouration that is seen by the mother or caregivers.
“It is important that the baby be assessed in a healthcare facility by health professionals instead of using home remedies that can be harmful and further worsen the condition.”
The healthcare specialist highlighted some symptoms of jaundice, which include the yellowish skin discolouration, yellowing eyes (sclera), poor feeding, and sometimes uncontrollable crying of the baby.
She added that health workers usually tell mothers to bring their babies to the hospital during postnatal care, and once this is noticed, stressing laboratory blood tests are conducted to measure the baby’s serum bilirubin levels.
She further stated that any detection of jaundice is very important because when one’s blood is breaking so fast, it means that there will be a storage of toxins in the body.
Davidson also noted that excess accumulation of bilirubin can interfere with the cognitive function of the baby if not treated properly, damaging the brain and leading to kernicterus. Other complications can be cerebral palsy and even deafness.
“The need for assessment by a health professional cannot be overemphasised. Yes, the morning sun helps, depending on the level of bilirubin in the body, but those are not the ideal things to do. The best thing is, once you notice those signs on the body, take them to the hospital for a proper checkup and treatment.
“Most babies are born yellow in colour, but within the first and second weeks of their lives, their melanin pigment will begin to show,” she explained.
Her assertion is justified by Elsevier’s study in an article, “Traditional beliefs in the management and prevention of neonatal jaundice in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria”, which revealed that neonatal jaundice is a leading cause of preventable brain damage in infants and the most frequent cause of readmission for special care in the first week of life.
The study also noted that the Paediatric Association of Nigeria ranks neonatal jaundice as a priority cause of neonatal morbidity. It added that severe neonatal jaundice may result in permanent neurologic dysfunction known as chronic bilirubin encephalopathy or kernicterus, hence the need to seek medical intervention when jaundice surfaces.
Davidson further clarified, “So because of the reflection of the yellow cloths, mothers are being told to restrict themselves from dressing their babies in yellow cloths for easy detection of the jaundice, especially for those who do not find it easy to detect colours. Because most times, some people think it is a reflection of clothes; meanwhile, the child is actually having jaundice, especially for those who do not know what jaundice looks like on the skin.”
Asked about people’s assertion that breastfeeding a baby delays the healing of jaundice, she explained that breastfeeding jaundice can occur, and it usually lasts longer than jaundice in babies on formula feed, but breastfeeding the child is still the best, and mothers are encouraged to breastfeed. Stressing that the benefits of breastfeeding far outweigh any potential issues that may arise.
She added, “Treatment modalities depend on the level of the bilirubin and will be duly communicated to the parents at the health facility. It can sometimes include phototherapy and, in severe cases, blood transfusions, but this will be after due assessment and diligence have been conducted.”
Why Mothers Are Advised Not To Dress Newborns In Yellow- Expert is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
Source: The Whistler
