Key Points

• Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a serious lung condition. It affects mostly babies who are born more than 10 weeks before their due dates and have breathing problems at birth.
• Most babies who develop BPD are born with serious respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). With treatment, RDS usually gets better within 2 to 4 weeks, but some babies get worse and develop BPD.
• The lungs of the babies who are born with RDS and go on to develop BPD are less developed than those of babies with RDS who recover. These babies are also more likely than other infants to have problems in other parts of their bodies that are not yet fully developed.
• The earlier a baby is born and the lower his or her weight at birth, the greater the chances the baby will develop bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).
• About 5,000 to 10,000 babies born in the United States each year develop BPD.
• Signs and symptoms of RDS at birth include rapid, shallow breathing; sharp pulling in of the chest below the ribs with each breath taken in; grunting sounds during exhalation; and flaring of the nostrils during breathing.
• Doctors usually conduct a number of tests on newborns with breathing problems to make sure they diagnose their condition correctly. These include blood tests, chest x ray, and echocardiogram.
• Doctors grade BPD as mild, moderate, or severe, depending on how much extra oxygen the baby needs and how long he or she needs it.
• The goals of treatment for babies with BPD are to reduce further injury to the lungs and provide nutrition and other support to help the lungs grow and recover.
• Today, most babies with BPD recover, and many go on to live normal, active lives. Parents can take steps to help their babies recover and grow as normally as possible.