Newborn jaundice: when does a baby need phototherapy?
Written by Dr. Bramhini Nareddy, MD (Paediatrics)Paediatrician-Neonatologist (MD, Paediatrics) · 4 min readOver 60% of healthy newborns develop mild jaundice in their first week. However, when bilirubin levels rise above safe thresholds on neonatal age charts, blue-light phototherapy is essential to prevent brain toxicity. Phototherapy is safe, painless, and performed in our day-care unit in Tirupati.
Why do newborns get jaundice?
Newborns have extra red blood cells that break down after birth, and their young liver takes a few days to efficiently process bilirubin. It typically peaks on days 3 to 5.
When is phototherapy needed?
Doctors plot the baby's exact age in hours against total serum bilirubin levels on standardized Bhutani charts. If the curve crosses the safe threshold, phototherapy is started to break down bilirubin in the skin.
What happens during phototherapy?
- The baby rests comfortably in a warm incubator or cot under special blue LED lights.
- Soft, opaque eye masks protect the baby's delicate eyes.
- The baby wears only a diaper to maximize skin exposure to the light.
- Treatment is paused every 2 to 3 hours for breastfeeding and cuddle time.
Phototherapy is completely painless and uses visible light wavelengths, not harmful ultraviolet rays.
Can morning sunlight replace phototherapy?
Direct sunlight does not filter out harmful UV or infrared rays and carries severe risks of sunburn and chilling. For significant jaundice, medical phototherapy is the only safe standard.
Serum bilirubin test and neonatal checkup by Dr. Bramhini Nareddy in one visit.
Book a newborn checkThis guide is general information and not a diagnosis. Reviewed by Dr. Bramhini Nareddy · October 2026 · How we write and review guides