RT Book, Section A1 Taheripour, Mohebat A2 Freeman, Brian S. A2 Berger, Jeffrey S. SR Print(0) ID 1135742524 T1 Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome T2 Anesthesiology Core Review: Part Two Advanced Exam YR 2016 FD 2016 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9781259641770 LK accessanesthesiology.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1135742524 RD 2024/10/07 AB Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a problem most often seen in preterm infants due to a developmental deficiency in pulmonary surfactant. However, infants of mothers with gestational diabetes may develop RDS even born near term. Surfactant production by type 2 alveolar pneumocytes occurs predominantly after 32 weeks of gestation. If surfactant is inadequate, hyaline membranes form in the distal bronchioles and alveoli, leading to respiratory insufficiency. The severity of RDS depends upon with the degree of pulmonary immaturity of the lungs and may be worsened by concomitant factors such as infection or oligohydramnios.