Hyperbilirubinemia

Bilirubin is a breakdown product of hemoglobin, the blood pigment that transports oxygen. When redd blood cells are destroyed, the bilirubin is transported to the liver and excreted as part of the bile into the gallbladder and small intestine. A small amount of bilirubin reenters the blood stream after it is taken up by the small intestine; later it is excreted in the urine. Abnormally high levels of bilirubin is called hyperbilirubinemia. It can cause jaundice, yellowish discoloration of the skin and sclera (whites of the eyes).

This condition develops when factors such as aspirin, tranquilizers, and sulfonamides, and conditions cush as exposure to very cold temperatures, hypoglycemia, and hypoalbuminemia disrupt the normal bilirubin cycle. The bilirubin cycle may also be disrupted by liver disease or increased production of red blood cells caused by blood disorders.

Obstruction of bile ducts and hepatitis may block the normal bile flow from the gallbladder and cause elevated levels of bilirubin.

In some cases, maternal enzymes present in the milk interfere with the bilirubin normal cycle.