[Consensus on hyperbilirubinemia of the first trimester of life].

Neonatal jaundice may be due to different causes, ranging from physiological conditions to severe diseases. In term neonates with persistent jaundice beyond 14 days of life, it should be determined whether hyperbilirubinemia is unconjugated or conjugated, in order to study the etiology and start early treatment. In the majority of cases, conjugated hyperbilirubinemia (cholestasis) is a sign of liver dysfunction possibly associated with alterations in the bile flow secondary to structural or molecular abnormalities of the liver and/or the biliary tract. Over the past decade, new molecular studies have revolutionized the approach of cholestatic patients, leading to the identification of different genetic entities. It is important to determine the etilogy of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia since in many cases early treatment will substantially improve morbidity and mortality.