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Aug 19, Effects of smoking during pregnancy
19 Aug2009
- Babies who survive having to receive oxygen at birth, particularly those who need large amounts because of severe respiratory distress syndrome, can develop long-term complications as a result of:
- oxygen toxicity,
- high pressures delivered to the lungs,
- the severity of the condition itself,
- or periods when the brain or other organs did not receive enough oxygen.Most of these complications are life-threatening or the baby is scarred for life and may need surgery, often more than once. They include:
- Pneumothorax:
Air caught in or around the lungs, resulting in sharp chest pains or tightness, coughing, rapid heart rate, lack of oxygen causing fatigue and bluish skin color. Similar conditions, but with air trapped in different places are Pneumonediastinum and Pneumopericardium
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia:
- Brain Hemorrhage:
- Hemorrhage into the lung:
- Thrombotic events:
- Retrolental fibroplasia:
- Cerebral palsy, delayed mental development and mental retardation:
A chronic lung condition requiring ventilator support of oxygen often for many months and lifetime management, and often developing recurrent respiratory infections. Babies have to be fed by a tube into the stomach, with high doses of corticosteroids, surfactants and bronchodilators.
(intraventricular bleed)
(sometimes associated with surfactant use)
Blood clots, stroke, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease, associated with an umbilical arterial catheter
Causes eye problems such as scarring, detachment of the retina and blindness
Associated with anoxic brain damage (lack of oxygen to the brain) or hemorrhage (burst blood vessels).
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