A 35 year old gravida 2 para 1 women delivers a newborn at 30 weeks gestation. Apgar scores are 7 and 9. Mother had maternal diabetes with this pregnancy. Her first child was delivered at full term without any complications. One hour later the newborn develops difficulty breathing, intercostal retractions on inspiration, cyanosis. Lung auscultation reveals decreased breath sounds and fine rales in all lung fields. A chest x ray shows bilateral, uniform reticulonodular densities in the lungs, no tracheal or esophageal atresia or fistula. 100 % oxygen is delivered but does not improve the babys oxygen saturation. 1. What pathology do you suspect and why? 2. What could you have given to the mother that may have prevented this newborns condition? 3. What cells are stimulated to start working after giving this treatment and what do they make?

The main function of the respiratory system is gas exchange (O2 and CO2). Ventilation is the movement of air through the respiratory tract into (inspiration) and out of (expiration) the respiratory zone (lungs).