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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. Text Continues Below 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.

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