Tibayan, Jocelle Marie O.

January 27, 2024

BSN2H NCM 110: Nursing Informatics Laboratory

A JOURNAL READING ON THE “MATERNAL AND NEONATAL RISK FACTORS FOR NEONATAL
RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME IN TERM NEONATES IN CYPRUS”

The journal written by Stylianou-Riga et al., (2021) was about the Respiratory Distress
Syndrome in term neonates. Although Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome (NRDS) is commonly
associated with premature birth, it can also have an effect on term neonates. In this study, term
neonates who have RDS and do not have RDS were admitted to the NICU of Archbishop Makarios III
Hospital. Thus, this study revolves around risk factors of Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) in
term babies.

The gist of this study is that gender and an early onset of infection are risk factors for RDS in
term neonates. For gender, the results of the case study show that male-term neonates often
experience RDS more than female-term neonates. The reason behind this is the hormone from
males, androgen, slows lung surfactant production. Whereas, estrogen has the ability to increase
alveolar development and lung surfactant production. Therefore, female term neonates have a natural
protection against RDS. Moving on to the early onset of infection. Term neonates that have an
early-onset infection require a higher dose of lung surfactant and longer periods in a mechanical
ventilator compared to infants that had a late or no onset of infection.

Upon reading the journal, I learned important details about Respiratory Distress Syndrome
(RDS). I realized that most definitions of the complication mostly state that it affects premature
neonates. However, the complication itself does not only affect preterm neonates and cesarean
babies, but it also affects term neonates that were delivered via normal spontaneous delivery (NSD).
Furthermore, the stated risk factors of the RDS can affect the term neonates which leads to them
needing special care and attention. Thus, with this information from the research I have read, I hope
that the medical field will become more aware since this topic is understudied. Also, I hope to utilize
this knowledge in my practice as a future healthcare worker in order to provide quality care to my
patients.
Reference:
Stylianou-Riga, P., Boutsikou, T., Kouis, P., Kinni, P., Krokou, M., Ioannou, A., Siahanidou, T.,
Iliodromiti, Z., Papadouri, T., Yiallouros, P. K., & Iacovidou, N. (2021). Maternal and neonatal
risk factors for neonatal respiratory distress syndrome in term neonates in Cyprus: a
prospective case–control study. Italian Journal of Pediatrics, 47(1).
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-021-01086-5