Prediction of Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Preterm Fetuses by Assessment of Fetal Lung Volume by Vocal and Pulmonary Artery Resistance Index

Abstract

Preterm labour infers to birth between the onset of viability and 37 completed weeks gestation. It is a common problem occurring in 5-25% pregnancies and is a major cause of death or disability in newborns. Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is defined as respiratory failure that occurs after birth due to absence of lung surfactant, a substance that is required to prevent alveolar collapse and for inflation of the lungs. This condition is a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality: estimates suggest that 80.000 cases of neonatal RDS occur every year in the USA alone, with 8500 neonatal deaths. Biochemical tests have been developed to determine the risk of neonatal RDS and help obstetricians to decide when to deliver a neonate. The chemical, biological, and physical properties of amniotic fluid represent the gold-standard measures of fetal lung maturity. Nevertheless, amniotic fluid can be obtained only by performing amniocentesis, an invasive procedure that poses potential risks to the pregnancy, such as premature rupture of membranes, preterm labor, placental abruption, fetoma