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Ictericia por la leche materna - Overview

Nombres alternativos

Hiperbilirrubinemia

Definición:

La ictericia es una afección que provoca que la piel y partes de los ojos se tornen de color amarillo.

La ictericia por la leche materna es una ictericia prolongada en un bebé lactante por lo demás sano. Se desarrolla después de la primera semana de vida y continúa hasta la sexta semana.

Causas:

La bilirrubina es un pigmento amarillo creado a medida que el cuerpo se deshace de los glóbulos rojos viejos. El hígado ayuda a descomponer la bilirrubina de manera que se pueda eliminar del cuerpo en las heces.

Si la ictericia ocurre o persiste después de la primera semana de vida en un bebé por lo demás sano, de crecimiento satisfactorio y alimentado con leche materna, la afección se puede llamar ''ictericia por la leche materna''. Esta afección probablemente es causada por factores en la leche de la madre que bloquean ciertas proteínas en el hígado que descomponen la bilirrubina.

La ictericia por la leche materna tiende a ser hereditaria. Con frecuencia, ocurre por igual en hombres y mujeres y afecta del 0.5 al 2.4% de todos los recién nacidos.

  • Reviewed last on: 6/21/2011
  • Kimberly G. Lee, MD, MSc, IBCLC, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC. Review Provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

Referencias

Moerschel SK, Cianciaruso LB, Tracy LR. A practical approach to neonatal jaundice. Am Fam Physician. 2008;77:1255-1262.

Preer GL, Philipp BL. Understanding and managing breast milk jaundice. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. doi: 10.1136/adc.2010.184416.

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