Further studies on the effects of hypoxia on the respiration of newborn infants

The response to breathing 12 per cent oxygen by newborn premature and full-term infants and premature infants several weeks old has been studied. Comparisons show that newborn premature and full-term infants during the first days after birth failed to respond with increases in respiratory rate or ti...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pediatrics (Evanston) 1955-07, Vol.16 (1), p.93-103
Main Authors: MILLER, H C, SMULL, N W
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Humans
Hypoxia
Infant
Infant, Newborn - physiology
Old Medline
Respiration - physiology
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Summary:The response to breathing 12 per cent oxygen by newborn premature and full-term infants and premature infants several weeks old has been studied. Comparisons show that newborn premature and full-term infants during the first days after birth failed to respond with increases in respiratory rate or tidal volume during the hypoxic state. In fact, there was some decrease in ventilation which was largely related to reductions in tidal volume. Premature infants several weeks old, on the other hand, showed an immediate and significant hyperpnea while breathing 12 per cent oxygen. The younger infants, particularly the premature infants, seemed to be less disturbed by the hypoxia than older infants. These results substantiated previous results obtained on full-term infants. The hypothesis was advanced that the chemoreceptor reflexes were less active immediately following birth than later on in life.
ISSN:0031-4005
1098-4275
DOI:10.1542/peds.16.1.93