Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn depth of respirations to better use the

(TTN) sur-face available. Transient tachypnea

occurs more often in in-fants who are
At birth, a newborn may have a rapid rate
born by cesarean birth, in infants whose
of respirations, up
mothers received extensive fluid
to 80 breaths per minute when crying,
administration during labor,
caused by retained
and in preterm infants. Infants born by
lung fluid (Raab, 2007). Within 1 hour,
cesarean birth are
however, this rapid
probably more prone to develop this form
rate slows to between 30 and 60 breaths
of respiratory dis-tress because the
per minute. In about
thoracic cavity is not compressed as it is in
10 in 1000 live births, the respiratory rate
vaginal birth, so less lung fluid is expelled
remains at a high
than normally.
level, between 80 and 120 breaths per
Close observation of such a newborn is a
minute. The infant
priority. Watch
does not appear to be in a great deal of
carefully to be certain the increased effort
distress, aside from
is not tiring. Also
the tiring effort of breathing so rapidly.
watch for beginning signs of a more
Mild retractions but
serious disorder, because
not marked cyanosis, mild hypoxia, and
a rapid respiratory rate is often the first
hypercapnia may be
sign of respiratory ob-struction. Oxygen
present. Feeding is difficult because the administration may be necessary.
child cannot suck Transient

and breathe this rapidly at the same time. tachypnea of the newborn peaks in
A chest radiograph intensity at approximately

will reveal some fluid in the central lung, 36 hours of life and then begins to fade.
but aeration is, Typically, by 72 hours

overall, adequate. An ultrasound may of life, it spontaneously fades as the lung

show like findings fluid is absorbed and

(Copetti & Cattarossi, 2007). respiratory activity becomes effective.

Transient tachypnea may reflect a slight Meconium Aspiration Syndrome

decrease in pro-duction of phosphatidyl
glycerol or mature surfactant but is

a direct result of retained lung fluid.

Retained lung fluid lim-its the amount of
alveolar surface that is available for
oxygen

exchange. This limitation requires an

infant to increase res-piratory rate and