Neonatal jaundice is caused when a baby is born and the liver is not working fully to remove a particular waste product.Treatment involves placing the infant under a blue light,which reacts with the waste product and converts it to a form that the kidney can excrete.What is this waste product called?

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The waste product that causes neonatal jaundice is called bilirubin. Bilirubin is a yellowish substance produced during the breakdown of red blood cells, and it usually gets processed by the liver and expelled from the body through the feces. In newborns, the liver is not fully developed to get rid of bilirubin adequately, which leads to an accumulation of the substance in the blood and tissues, causing jaundice.

Neonatal Jaundice Is Caused When a Baby Is Born and the Liver