Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Development of a Neonatal Piglet Acute Lung Injury Model Recreating the Early Environment of Preterm Infant Lungs
08:58

Development of a Neonatal Piglet Acute Lung Injury Model Recreating the Early Environment of Preterm Infant Lungs

Published on: October 31, 2025

Prenatal factors in the development of chronic lung disease

Anne Greenough1

  • 1Division of Asthma, Allergy and Lung Biology, King's College London School of Medicine, Denmark Hill, London, UK. anne.greenough@kcl.ac.uk

Seminars in Fetal & Neonatal Medicine
|September 9, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Chronic lung disease (CLD) affects premature infants and can lead to long-term respiratory issues. Research highlights antenatal factors and the need for better trial designs to test interventions for improving lung growth.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatology
  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Chronic lung disease (CLD), characterized by chronic oxygen dependency, is a frequent complication in neonatal intensive care.
  • CLD predominantly affects very premature infants but can also occur in term infants with severe lung disease or abnormal antenatal lung development.
  • Antenatal factors such as reduced fetal breathing, low amniotic fluid, and thoracic space, along with infection/inflammation, are increasingly recognized as contributors to impaired lung growth.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the causes and outcomes of chronic lung disease in infants.
  • To emphasize the impact of antenatal factors on lung development and subsequent respiratory morbidity.
  • To highlight the need for improved clinical trial designs for evaluating antenatal interventions.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of chronic lung disease in neonatal intensive care.
  • Analysis of factors contributing to abnormal antenatal lung growth.
  • Discussion of long-term respiratory morbidity in affected individuals.

Main Results:

  • Chronic lung disease is a common neonatal intensive care outcome, particularly in premature infants.
  • Impaired antenatal lung growth, influenced by various factors including infection/inflammation, contributes to CLD.
  • Affected infants experience chronic respiratory morbidity extending into adulthood.

Conclusions:

  • Antenatal interventions aimed at improving lung growth are crucial for managing and potentially preventing CLD.
  • Current trial designs for evaluating these interventions need refinement, with pulmonary function at follow-up as a key outcome measure.

Related Concept Videos

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease I: Introduction01:23

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease I: Introduction

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a common, preventable, and treatable respiratory disorder characterized by persistent symptoms and progressive airflow limitation. This limitation results from a combination of small-airway disease (obstructive bronchiolitis) and parenchymal destruction (emphysema), both driven by chronic inflammation from exposure to harmful particles or gases.The disease includes two main pathological entities: emphysema, marked by destruction of alveolar walls and...
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-I: Introduction01:20

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-I: Introduction

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a long-lasting respiratory condition requiring continuous attention and care. It is a progressive lung disease that leads to breathing challenges due to airflow obstruction. It manifests as persistent respiratory symptoms and restricted airflow resulting from abnormalities in the airways and alveoli, usually due to long-term exposure to harmful particles or gases. COPD mainly consists of two primary conditions: emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease III: Chronic Bronchitis Features01:24

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease III: Chronic Bronchitis Features

Chronic bronchitis is a key phenotype of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), characterized by airway-centered inflammation and mucus overproduction. It develops from long-term exposure to harmful particles or gases, most commonly cigarette smoke, which triggers a persistent inflammatory response.Cellular and Structural ChangesInflammation initially affects the large bronchi and later the smaller airways, with infiltration by immune cells, including neutrophils, macrophages, and...
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-II: Pathophysiology01:20

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-II: Pathophysiology

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) pathophysiology is intricate and multifaceted, involving a complex interplay of physiological processes. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for effectively managing and treating COPD. Here is an in-depth look at the critical elements in the pathophysiology of COPD:
Chronic Inflammation
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease01:24

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

COPD is defined as a heterogeneous lung condition marked by persistent respiratory symptoms such as dyspnea, cough, and sputum production, caused by abnormalities in the airways that cause airflow obstruction.
Smoking is a primary risk factor for COPD, with over 80% of patients having a history of it. Patients typically experience progressive dyspnea or labored breathing, frequent coughing, and recurrent pulmonary infections. Many eventually succumb to respiratory failure, characterized by...
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease IV: Clinical Manifestations01:19

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease IV: Clinical Manifestations

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or COPD, is a long-term condition marked by persistent and only partially reversible airflow limitation. It involves two overlapping conditions—chronic bronchitis and emphysema—which often co-appear but differ in dominant symptoms and underlying mechanisms.Chronic Bronchitis FeaturesChronic bronchitis presents with a persistent productive cough and thick, sometimes purulent mucus due to airway inflammation, enlarged mucus glands, and goblet cell...