Respiratory distress syndrome (infants)

Alternative names:

hyaline membrane disease; RDS

Prevention:

Since RDS usually occurs as a result of prematurity, every effort is usually made to help the mother carry the baby to term. This begins with the first prenatal visit that should be made as soon as the mother discovers she is pregnant. Statistics clearly show that good prenatal care results in larger healthier babies and fewer premature births. If the mother 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' lung maturity) is made and labor is usually halted until the L/S ratio shows that the lungs have matured. The infant's chance of not developing RDS, if not 100 precent, is at least improved..

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