What causes neonatal lupus?

Causes. Neonatal lupus is a rare acquired disorder that occurs when specific antibodies are passed from a pregnant woman to the developing fetus via the placenta. In most cases, it is the anti-Ro/SSA antibody, the anti-La/SSB antibody, or both.

What are the risk factors for kernicterus?

Kernicterus risk factors

  • Were born prematurely.
  • Don’t feed well.
  • Have a parent or sibling who had jaundice as an infant.
  • Were born to a mother with type O or Rh-negative blood type. Moms with these blood types sometimes give birth to babies who have high bilirubin levels.

What are the most common causes of pathologic hyperbilirubinemia in neonates?

Common risk factors for hyperbilirubinemia include fetal-maternal blood group incompatibility, prematurity, and a previously affected sibling (Table 1). 2–4 Cephalohematomas, bruising, and trauma from instrumented delivery may increase the risk for serum bilirubin elevation.

How do you know if your baby has kernicterus?

Signs & Symptoms Initial findings associated with kernicterus may vary from case to case, but often include lack of energy (lethargy) or drowsiness, poor feeding habits, fever, a shrill high-pitched cry, and/or absence of certain reflexes (e.g., Moro reflex, etc.).

What are the signs of kernicterus?

Initial symptoms of kernicterus in babies include:

  • poor feeding.
  • irritability.
  • a high-pitched cry.
  • no startle reflex.
  • lethargy (sleepiness)
  • brief pauses in breathing (apnoea)
  • their muscles becoming unusually floppy, like a rag doll.

What is neonatal lupus?

Neonatal lupus is an uncommon autoimmune disease manifested primarily by cutaneous lupus lesions and/or congenital heart block. Maternal autoantibodies of the Ro/La family are present in virtually every case, although only approximately 1% of women who have these autoantibodies will have a baby with neonatal lupus.

What is the pathophysiology of kernicterus?

Traditionally, kernicterus is defined by neurologic damage due to excessive unconjugated bilirubin deposition in the brain tissue. However, there are cases where an infant has neurologic abnormalities with normal or mildly elevated bilirubin levels.[34]

Is your baby at risk of kernicterus?

Your baby may be at risk of developing kernicterus if: they have a very high level of bilirubin in their blood the level of bilirubin in their blood is rising rapidly they don’t receive any treatment Initial symptoms of kernicterus in babies include:

What is kernicterus in neonatal jaundice?

Kernicterus refers to the brain damage that may occur when neonatal jaundice goes untreated for too long.