Jaundice can be divided by cause and mechanism:

1. Prehepatic jaundice - increased production of bilirubin.
2. Hepatic jaundice - in this type of jaundice the uptake, transport and secretion of bilirubin from liver cells is impaired
3. Extrahepatic jaundice - involves stagnation of bile in the bile ducts so that its outflow is impaired.

Jaundice can also be caused by breast milk. It occurs in about 50% of naturally fed infants. It is a form of prolonged jaundice in newborns who are breastfed, because the milk contains substances that inhibit the uptake of bilirubin from the baby's blood and its excretion. This is not a cause for concern as the babies are healthy, all the processes of adaptation to ectopic life are normal - weight gain too. The only deviation from the norm of laboratory tests is a high concentration of bilirubin.