New born respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) happens when a baby’s lungs are not fully developed and cannot provide enough oxygen, causing breathing difficulties.
It usually affects premature babies.
NRDS usually occurs when the baby’s lungs have not produced enough surfactant.
Surfactant is a foamy substance that keeps the lungs fully expanded so that newborns can breathe in air once they are born.
This substance, made up of proteins and fats, helps keep the lungs inflated and prevents them collapsing.
Without enough surfactant, the lungs collapse and the new born has to work hard to breathe. He or she might not be able to breathe in enough oxygen to support the body’s organs especially the brain.
A baby normally begins producing surfactant sometime between weeks 24 and 28 of pregnancy.
Most babies produce enough to breathe normally by week 34.
If ones baby is born prematurely, they may not have enough surfactant in their lungs.
It is also known as:
Respiratory distress syndrome
Hyaline membrane disease
Surfactant deficiency lung disease
Cause
Born prematurely
Not have enough surfactant in their lungs – The earlier your baby is born, the greater his or her risk .
Most cases of RDS occur in babies born before 28 weeks of pregnancy.
Stress during your baby’s delivery, especially if mother loses a lot of blood
Require an emergency cesarean delivery before your baby is full term
In mothers with diabetes, consistently elevated levels of glucose result in excess insulin production by the fetus (Fetal hyperinsulinemia) can affect lung maturity and alter the synthesis of lung surfactant, increasing the risk for respiratory distress.
The risk for respiratory distress is higher in patients with an elective cesarean section, which is common among mothers with diabetes, compared with patients with who have elective labour method.
In addition, maternal glucose supply (glucose from the mother) is abruptly ended at delivery but hyperinsulinemia (insulin produced by the foetus/baby) continues, this may result in hypoglycaemia shortly after birth.
Infection
Baby is underweight
Babies lungs have not develop properly (during screening , steroidal medication is given to the mother during premature labour)
Patent ductus arteriosus, a type of congenital heart defect. The ductus arteriosus connects pulmonary arteries to the aorta. If it remains open, it can strain the heart and increase blood pressure in the lung arteries: Symptoms include:
Fast breathing, working hard to breathe, or shortness of breath?
Air can sometimes leak out of the baby’s lungs and become trapped in their chest cavity. The pocket of air places extra pressure on the lungs, causing them to collapse and leading to additional breathing problems.
Air leaks can be treated by inserting a tube into the chest to allow the trapped air to escape.
Internal bleeding
Babies with NRDS may have bleeding inside their lungs (pulmonary haemorrhage) and brain (cerebral haemorrhage).
Bleeding into the lungs is treated with air pressure from a ventilator to stop the bleeding and a blood transfusion.
Bleeding into the brain is quite common in premature babies, but most bleeds are mild and do not cause long-term problems.
Lung scarring
Sometimes ventilation (begun within 24 hours of birth) or the surfactant used to treat NRDS causes scarring to the baby’s lungs, which affects their development.
This lung scarring is called:
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)
Symptoms of BPD include rapid, shallow breathing and shortness of breath.
Babies with severe BPD usually need additional oxygen from tubes into their nose to help with their breathing.
This is usually stopped after a few months, when the lungs have healed.
But children with BPD may need regular medication, such as bronchodilators, to help widen their airways and make breathing easier.
NHS
Some of the life-saving treatments used for NRDS may contribute to BPD. Some newborns who have RDS recover and never get BPD.
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
For this condition an oxygen ventilator maybe used to provide more oxygen to ones lungs.
Complications include:
Pulmonary embolism– blood clots can form (in the vessels of your arms and/or legs) especially when on a ventilator and one is doing no form of exercise. The blood clot can break off and travel to the lungs.
Collapsed lung (pneumothorax) -A breathing machine called a ventilator is used to increase oxygen in the body and force fluid out of the lungs. however, the pressure and air volume of the ventilator can force gas to go through a small hole in the very outside of a lung and cause that lung to collapse.
Infections – Because the ventilator is attached directly to a tube inserted in your windpipe, this makes it much easier for germs to infect and further injure your lungs.
MayoClinic
This condition can lead to (because of bleeding or a lack of oxygen):
Learning difficulties
Poor memory and thinking clearly- due to low oxygen levels and sedation
Scarring (pulmonary fibrosis)- Scarring and thickening of the tissue between the air sacs can occur within a few weeks of the onset of ARDS. This stiffens your lungs, making it even more difficult for oxygen to flow from the air sacs into your bloodstream.
Long lasting damage to lungs (while others make a good recovery).
Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Newborn Respiratory Distress Syndrome in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).
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