Physiologic jaundice in a newborn can be caused by:

A) fetal-maternal blood incompatibility.
B) destruction of red blood cells as a result of antibody reaction.
C) liver's inability to bind bilirubin adequately for excretion.
D) immature kidneys' inability to hydrolyze and excrete bilirubin.

Physiologic jaundice is caused by the immature hepatic function of the newborn's liver coupled with the increased load from red blood cell hemolysis. The excess bilirubin from the destroyed red blood cells cannot be excreted from the body. The fetal-maternal blood incompatibility and the associated red cell destruction by antibodies are the causes of hemolytic disease of the newborn. The kidneys are not involved in the excretion of bilirubin.