Final answer:
The most common cause of pre-hepatic jaundice is hemolytic anemias, where excessive breakdown of red blood cells leads to an overload of bilirubin in the blood, exceeding the liver's capacity to excrete it.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most common cause of pre-hepatic jaundice is hemolytic anemias. Pre-hepatic jaundice occurs when there is excessive breakdown of red blood cells, resulting in an excessive production of bile pigments such as bilirubin. This accumulation of bilirubin in the blood can exceed the liver's capacity to process it, leading to a buildup resulting in jaundice. This should not be confused with post-hepatic jaundice, which is caused by obstruction in the bile ducts preventing the excretion of bilirubin, or hepatic jaundice, which occurs due to liver damage interfering with bilirubin processing.