Jaundice, caused by high levels of the reddish-yellow pigment bilirubin in blood, affects more that 80% of newborns. Although neonatal jaundice usually resolves with treatment, severe hyperbilirubinemia can cause a form of brain damage called kernicterus or bilirubin-induced neurologic dysfunction (BIND). In low- and middle-income countries, jaundice is a major cause of neonatal death and brain damage.
