Jaundice is caused by too much bilirubin in the blood. This is known as hyperbilirubinaemia. Bilirubin is a yellow substance produced when red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body, are broken down. The bilirubin travels in the bloodstream to the liver. The liver changes the form of the bilirubin so it can be passed out of the body in poo. But if there's too much bilirubin in the blood or the liver cannot get rid of it, the excess bilirubin causes jaundice. Jaundice is common in newborn babies because babies have a high number of red blood cells in their blood, which are broken down and replaced frequently. A newborn baby's liver is not fully developed, so it's less effective at processing the bilirubin and removing it from the blood. This means the level of bilirubin in babies is much higher than in adults. By the time a baby is around 2 weeks old, they're producing less bilirubin and their liver is more effective at removing it from the body. This means the jaundice often corrects itself by this point without causing any harm. Breastfeeding your baby can increase their chances of developing jaundice. But there's no need to stop breastfeeding your baby if they have jaundice, because the symptoms normally pass in a few weeks. Some breastfed babies can have jaundice for as long as 12 weeks, but it's important that this is checked by a health visitor or GP so other more serious causes of jaundice can be ruled out. The benefits of breastfeeding outweigh any potential risks associated with the condition. If your baby needs to be treated for jaundice, they may need extra fluids and more frequent feeds during treatment. See treating newborn jaundice for more information. It's unclear why breastfed babies are more likely to develop jaundice, but a number of theories have been suggested. For example, it may be that breast milk contains certain substances that reduce the ability of the liver to process bilirubin. Newborn jaundice thought to be linked to breastfeeding is sometimes called breast milk jaundice. Sometimes jaundice may be caused by another health problem. This is known as pathological jaundice. Some causes of pathological jaundice include:
An inherited enzyme deficiency known as glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) could also lead to jaundice or kernicterus. It's important to let your midwife, GP or paediatrician know if you have a family history of G6PD. Your baby's jaundice symptoms will need to be closely monitored.
Page last reviewed: 03 February 2022
Conditions associated with jaundice; Yellow skin and eyes; Skin - yellow; Icterus; Eyes - yellow; Yellow jaundice Jaundice is a yellow color of the skin, mucus membranes, or eyes. The yellow coloring comes from bilirubin, a byproduct of old red blood cells. Jaundice can be a symptom of several health problems. Jaundice is a condition produced when excess amounts of bilirubin circulating in the blood stream dissolve in the subcutaneous fat (the layer of fat just beneath the skin), causing a yellowish appearance of the skin and the whites of the eyes. With the exception of normal newborn jaundice in the first week of life, all other jaundice indicates overload or damage to the liver, or inability to move bilirubin from the liver through the biliary tract to the gut.
 Newborn jaundice (producing yellow skin) can have many causes, but the majority of these infants have a condition called physiological jaundice, a natural occurrence in the newborn due to the immature liver. This type of jaundice is short term, generally lasting only a few days. Jaundice should be evaluated by a physician until decreasing or normal levels of bilirubin are measured in the blood.
A chronic liver disease which causes damage to liver tissue, scarring of the liver (fibrosis; nodular regeneration), progressive decrease in liver function, excessive fluid in the abdomen (ascites), bleeding disorders (coagulopathy), increased pressure in the blood vessels (portal hypertension), and brain function disorders (hepatic encephalopathy). Excessive alcohol use is the leading cause of cirrhosis.
Using bili lights is a therapeutic procedure performed on newborn or premature infants to reduce elevated levels of bilirubin. If blood levels of bilirubin become too high, the bilirubin begins to dissolve in the body tissues, producing the characteristic yellow eyes and skin of jaundice. Bilirubin also has an affinity for brain tissue, where it can accumulate and cause permanent brain damage.
A small number of red blood cells in your body die each day, and are replaced by new ones. The liver removes the old blood cells. This creates bilirubin. The liver helps break down bilirubin so that it can be removed by the body through the stool. Jaundice can occur when too much bilirubin builds up in the body. Jaundice can occur if:
Jaundice is often a sign of a problem with the liver, gallbladder, or pancreas. Things that can cause jaundice include:
Jaundice may appear suddenly or develop slowly over time. Symptoms of jaundice commonly include:
Note: If your skin is yellow and the whites of your eyes are not yellow, you may not have jaundice. Your skin can turn a yellow-to-orange color if you eat a lot of beta carotene, the orange pigment in carrots. Other symptoms depend on the disorder causing the jaundice:
The health care provider will perform a physical exam. This may show liver swelling. A bilirubin blood test will be done. Other tests may include:
Treatment depends on the cause of the jaundice.
Contact your provider if you develop jaundice.
Fargo MV, Grogan SP, Saquil A. Evaluation of jaundice in adults. Am Fam Physician. 2017;95(3):164-168. PMID: 28145671 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28145671/. Korenblat KM, Berk PD. Approach to the patient with jaundice or abnormal liver tests. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 138. Lidofsky SD. Jaundice. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology/Diagnosis/Management. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 21. Taylor TA, Wheatley MA. Jaundice. In: Walls RM, Hockberger RS, Gausche-Hill M, eds. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 25.
Last reviewed on: 4/19/2021 Reviewed by: Michael M. Phillips, MD, Emeritus Professor of Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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