Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in infants

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Lungs

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

Since infant respiratory distress syndrome (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 early, 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 done, and labor is usually halted until this test shows that the baby's lungs have matured. This decreases an infant's chances of developing IRDS.

When it appears that premature delivery is unavoidable, the mother will be given corticosteroids2 to 3 days prior to delivery. In some cases, this may help the baby's lungs mature.

Review Date: 08/18/2006
Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.