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Investigation into Deep Breathing through Measurement of Ventilatory Parameters and Observation of Breathing Patterns
Published on: September 16, 2019
Breathing patterns in preterm and term infants immediately after birth
Arjan B te Pas1, Connie Wong, C Omar F Kamlin
1Division of Newborn Services, Royal Women's Hospital, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia. arjan.tepas@rwh.org.au
Pediatric Research
|April 25, 2009
Summary
Immediately after birth, both preterm and term infants exhibit expiratory braking, primarily through crying. Preterm infants utilize more expiratory holds to maintain lung volume.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal physiology
- Respiratory control in infants
Background:
- Limited data exists on spontaneous breathing patterns in newborns immediately after birth.
- Understanding early respiratory mechanics is crucial for neonatal care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize and compare the immediate postnatal breathing patterns of preterm and term infants.
- To investigate the incidence of expiratory braking and specific breathing patterns.
Main Methods:
- Studied spontaneously breathing infants (gestational age >= 29 weeks) immediately after birth.
- Measured airway flow and tidal volume for 90 seconds using a hot-wire anemometer and facemask.
- Analyzed breathing patterns including expiratory braking and crying.
Main Results:
- Both preterm and term infants showed high proportions of expiratory braking (90% vs. 87%) and predominantly used crying as a breathing pattern (62% vs. 64%).
- Preterm infants exhibited a significantly higher incidence of expiratory hold patterns (9% vs. 2%, p=0.02).
- Both groups demonstrated large tidal volumes and distinct flow/timing characteristics, with longer expiration times.
Conclusions:
- Newborns, both preterm and term, employ expiratory braking and crying for breathing regulation immediately post-birth.
- Preterm infants show a greater reliance on expiratory holds to defend lung volume, suggesting a distinct respiratory strategy.
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