Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in infants

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Lungs

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Prevention

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in infants

Alternative Names:

Hyaline membrane disease; Infant respiratory distress syndrome (IRDS); Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome; RDS - infants

Prevention:

Since IRDS is one of many conditions that usually occur in a premature infant, every effort is usually made to help mothers carry babies to term. Ideally, this effort begins with the first prenatal visit, which should be scheduled as soon as a mother discovers that she is pregnant. Good prenatal care results in larger, healthier babies and fewer premature births.

If a mother does goes into labor prematurely, every effort is made to stop the labor and allow the pregnancy to continue to full term. A lab test called the L/S ratio (a measurement of the fetus's lung maturity) is made and labor is usually halted until the L/S ratio shows that the lungs have matured. The infant's chances of not developing IRDS, if not 100%, are at least improved.

When it appears that premature delivery is unavoidable, administration of corticosteroids to the mother 2 to 3 days prior to delivery may help the fetal lung tissue mature in certain cases.

Review Date: 7/15/2004
Reviewed By: John Goldenring, M.D., MPH, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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