Is it true that pregnant women eating goose eggs can prevent jaundice in their babies?

Rumor: "Pregnant women eating goose eggs can prevent neonatal jaundice"

In life, we often hear some elders tell mothers who have just become pregnant: You must eat goose eggs during pregnancy, which can eliminate fetal toxins and make it less likely for the baby to get jaundice when it is born.

Rumor Analysis

This statement is not scientific.

Neonatal jaundice is caused by imperfect bilirubin metabolism in the baby's body and has little to do with the diet of pregnant women. Although goose eggs are nutritious, they do not affect the bilirubin level of the fetus. The key to preventing jaundice lies in scientific feeding and timely medical treatment, rather than relying on a certain food.

Pregnant women cannot eat goose eggs

Preventing neonatal jaundice

In the traditional concept of some regions, goose eggs are believed to have the so-called "clearing heat and detoxifying" or "eliminating fetal toxins" effect, so there is a saying that "goose eggs can prevent neonatal jaundice". However, this is more of a folk experience or legend, and has not been confirmed by modern medical experiments.

The core cause of neonatal jaundice lies in the baby's own bilirubin metabolism mechanism, whether the intake and excretion are balanced after birth, and whether there are hemolytic or hepatobiliary diseases. The mother's diet can affect the nutritional status of the fetus, but it cannot directly determine whether the baby will develop jaundice. The following are some key influencing factors:

Whether the mother-fetal blood type is incompatible, causing hemolysis;

If the baby is premature, the liver enzyme system is more immature;

How well you feed after birth (especially how often and how much breastfeeding you do);

Whether there are congenital pathological factors, etc.

Goose eggs are rich in high-quality protein, vitamins and minerals, and similar to chicken eggs, they are indeed a food with high nutritional value, but it is a misunderstanding to associate them with "preventing jaundice". In the traditional dietary view of some places, many foods are said to have the effects of "clearing away heat and reducing fire" and "detoxifying", but most of them are based on experience and there is no conclusive clinical evidence.

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So far, there is no high-quality medical research or randomized controlled trial showing a direct and definite causal relationship between goose eggs and reducing the incidence of neonatal jaundice. Therefore, the statement that "pregnant women eating goose eggs can prevent neonatal jaundice " is not recognized by modern medicine.

Goose eggs can be eaten as a common ingredient in moderation, but they are not a panacea. If a pregnant woman likes the taste of goose eggs or has received them as gifts from family members, she can include them in her daily diet, but she must pay attention to clean cooking methods and avoid excessive intake (because goose eggs, like chicken eggs, also contain cholesterol, and excessive intake may increase the metabolic burden).

****In addition, pregnant women should follow the advice of doctors or nutritionists during pregnancy and rationally combine various nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, trace elements, etc., rather than relying on any "single product" to play a health or therapeutic role.

Why newborns

Prone to jaundice?

Jaundice is a yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes (sclera). It is common in newborns, usually within the first few days of life. Your doctor or nurse will test for jaundice during your baby's hospital stay and during your first visit home.

Why does jaundice occur? When bilirubin (a breakdown product of red blood cells) increases in the blood, the skin and whites of the eyes will look yellow. Newborns are more susceptible to jaundice because their livers are not yet mature enough to remove excess bilirubin from the body quickly.

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1

Which babies are more likely to develop jaundice?

Insufficient breastfeeding: If breast milk intake is insufficient, the baby is prone to dehydration or insufficient food intake, which can reduce bilirubin excretion and lead to jaundice.

Premature babies: Their liver function is more immature than that of full-term babies, so the incidence of jaundice is also higher.

Other reasons: such as incompatibility of blood types between mother and baby, infection, etc., may also lead to elevated bilirubin, but these usually require further examination and judgment by a doctor.

2

What are the symptoms of jaundice?

Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes: It starts on the face and gradually spreads to the chest, abdomen, arms, and legs. If the jaundice is more severe, the skin on the legs and below the knees may also turn yellow or orange.

Warning signs of severe jaundice: If the following situations occur, be sure to contact medical staff in time to rule out and prevent serious complications.

Sleepiness, difficult to wake up

The cry was sharp;

The baby is fussy and keeps crying;

Stiffness or leaning back (neck tilted backward).

3

How can I self-check my child for jaundice?

You can gently press the tip of your baby's nose or forehead with your fingers, and then quickly release your fingers:

If the skin appears yellow when pressed, it indicates jaundice.

If the skin is more normal in color after being loosened, little or no jaundice is likely.

Please do it under natural light for more accurate observation.

Correct prevention and response

A scientific approach to neonatal jaundice

1

Regular prenatal check-ups

Regular prenatal checkups during pregnancy can help detect potential risks such as blood type incompatibility and pregnancy complications as early as possible.

Once the possible causes of neonatal jaundice are identified, the doctor will develop a plan to deal with it.
2

Maintaining nutrition and health during pregnancy

Reasonable diet: Diversify food to ensure balanced nutrition;

Moderate exercise: Do some exercise suitable for pregnant women with the permission of your doctor;

Get enough rest: Avoid excessive fatigue and anxiety.

3

Strengthening feeding and care of newborns

Start breastfeeding promptly after birth: Breastfeeding helps promote bilirubin excretion;
Ensure the frequency and amount of feeding: appropriately increase the feeding frequency, let the baby urinate and defecate frequently, so as to remove bilirubin from the body;

How to judge whether the baby is eating enough, you can refer to the following standards:

Wetting 6 or more diapers per day;

The color of stool changes from dark green or dark green (meconium) in the early days of life to yellow gradually;

After feeding, the baby's mood is relatively stable and he looks satisfied and not irritable.

Observe the jaundice condition: The peak period of jaundice is 2 to 3 days to 1 week after birth . If the baby's face, chest or abdomen becomes increasingly yellow, seek medical attention in time to monitor the bilirubin level.

4

Get light therapy if necessary

For babies whose bilirubin levels are only slightly high, most of them will improve on their own as their liver function gradually matures.

If the doctor detects that the baby's bilirubin level is too high, it may be necessary to use "blue light irradiation" or "light blankets" to help break down and excrete bilirubin;

In severe (rare) cases, exchange transfusion or other interventions may be required.

Looking in the mirror of rumors

Such rumors often originate from folk hearsay, have not been scientifically verified, and lack the support of modern medicine. In addition, such rumors also take advantage of people's concerns about the health of newborns, over-emphasize the role of specific foods, and easily mislead people to rely on a single food to solve the problem.

To ensure the health of mother and baby, pregnant women should maintain a balanced diet and ensure comprehensive nutrition, rather than blindly believing in the "special effects" of certain foods. Raise children scientifically and avoid believing unconfirmed rumors.

Planning and production

Author: Weng Ruopeng, attending physician, Zhejiang University Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital

Review | Lan Yibing, deputy chief physician, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine