Neonatal Respiratory Failure

Neonatal respiratory failure affects 2% of all live births, and is responsible for over 40% of all neonatal mortality. Persistent pulmonary hypertension of a new born (PPHN) is a life threatening disease with many causes that effects both full term, near term infants usually in the first 72 hours after birth. Although most infants recover, PPHN causes a severe problem in the infant’s lungs due to high blood pressure. About 500-700 babies are affected by PPHN each year. A better understanding of the etiology, pathophysiology and clinical features, treatments of PPHN will lead to more specific and effective therapies, treatments and eventually to prevention of this disease. (Neonatal Pulmonary Hypertension, 2017).
PPHN is a life threating condition; due to the failure of the normal circulatory transition that occurs after birth. Epidemiologic studies have some that PPHN is more common in Asian and Black maternal race and men. PPHN occurs when a newborn’s circulation system does not adapt to breathing outside of the uterus, oxygen is decreased due to the pressure in the arteries forcing the blood away from the lungs.
Lethargy (lacking of energy), heart murmur (extra heart sound), hypoxia (low oxygen levels), history of meconium staining, congenial diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) protrusion of abdominal contents into the thorax), asphyxia, grunting, retractions and decreased urine output. My case study involves a baby boy born 6/28/15 via breech cesarean section, weighing 0.81 kilograms at 24.6 gestation age. APGAR score(assessment of infants health): 1 at 1minute, 2 at 5 minutes, 5 at 10 minutes and 7at 15 minutes >7 is normal and may need oxygen, and s treatment plan f/u with respiratory, cardiology, nutritionist and ultrasound to check the blood