the preterm infant Flashcards
what is the definition of a preterm infant?
a birth that occurs before 37 weeks of gestation
how many deaths in childhood occur in the first year of life?
over half
what are risk factors for early childhood death?
pre term delivery
low birth weight
maternal age
smoking
what is the most common cause of preterm labour?
spontaneous
what are some common problems of prematurity?
Temperature control
Feeding/nutrition
Sepsis
what are some system dysfunction concerns in prematurity?
respiratory distress syndrome- RDS
patent ductus arteriosus- PDA
intraventricular haemorrhage- IVH
necrotising enterocolitis- NEC
why can thermal regulation be ineffective in extreme preterm babies?
Low BMR
Minimal muscular activity
Subcutaneous fat insulation is negligible
High ratio of surface area to body mass
what are some methods to heat babies?
wrap or bags
skin to skin
transwarmer mattress
prewarmed incubator
which organisms cause early onset (<72hrs) sepsis?
group B strep
gram negatives
which organisms cause late onset (>72hrs) sepsis?
coag negative staph
gram negatives
staph aureus
what are the risks associated with prematurity?
Immature immune system
Intensive care environment
Indwelling tubes and lines
what are the possible respiratory complications of prematurity?
Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)
Apnoea of prematurity
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia
what are some causes of respiratory distress syndrome?
surfactant deficiency
structural immaturity
formation of exudate from leaky capillaries
inflammation
repair
what are the clinical features of RDS?
tachypnoea
- grunting
-intercostal recessions
-nasal flaring
-cyanosis
gets worse over minutes to hours
how is RDS managed?
maternal steroid
surfactant
ventilation
