Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS): Prevention
Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a breathing disorder that affects newborns. RDS rarely occurs in full-term infants. The disorder is more common in premature infants born about 6 weeks or more before their due dates.
Part of: Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS)
Prevention of Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS)
Taking steps to ensure a healthy pregnancy might prevent your infant from being born before his or her lungs have fully developed. These steps include:
Seeing your doctor regularly during your pregnancy Following a healthy diet Avoiding tobacco smoke, alcohol, and illegal drugs Managing any medical conditions you have Preventing infectionsIf you’re having a planned cesarean delivery (C-section), your doctor can do tests before delivery to show whether it’s likely that your baby’s lungs are fully developed. These tests assess the age of the fetus or lung maturity.
Your doctor may give you injections of a corticosteroid medicine if he or she thinks you may give birth too early. This medicine can speed up surfactant production and development of the lungs, brain, and kidneys in your baby.
Treatment with corticosteroids can reduce your baby’s risk of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). If the baby… Read more about Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS): Prevention