Ambulance 912HAP 9252
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General health information

Yellow skin or eyes in a baby

Many newborn babies become slightly yellow in the first few days as bilirubin builds up. This usually resolves, but colour alone cannot show whether the level is safe. Yellowing on the first day of life, drowsiness, poor feeding, dark urine or very pale stools needs prompt assessment.

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  • Yellow skin or eyes in a newborn usually result from increased bilirubin. This is produced when red blood cells break down and the young liver cannot yet process the yellow waste substance quickly enough.
  • Many babies become slightly yellow temporarily from the second or third day of life. However, a care professional must decide whether measurement is needed. Severity cannot reliably be judged from a photograph, room lighting or visible colour alone.
  • Jaundice beginning in the first 24 hours is always abnormal and needs prompt assessment. Do not wait and see with a baby who becomes drowsy, feeds poorly or becomes clearly more yellow.
  • Dark urine that stains the nappy and chalk-white, grey or very pale stools do not fit ordinary jaundice. They may indicate a liver or bile duct problem.
  • Call Ambulance 912 if the baby cannot be woken, has seizures, severe breathing difficulties or another immediate threat to life. For urgent GP care outside office hours, call the out-of-hours GP service (HAP) on 9252.

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Further reading

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Hepatitis AHepatitis A is a viral infection of the liver, usually passed on through contaminated food, drink or hand-to-mouth contact. Many people recover fully, but you may feel very unwell for weeks to months, with tiredness, nausea, abdominal pain and sometimes jaundice. Becoming seriously unwell, drowsiness, inability to drink or rapidly turning yellow needs prompt medical assessment.
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