The vocal cords are predominantly closed in preterm infants < 30  weeks gestation during transition after birth; an observational study

The respiratory drive in preterm infants is often insufficient to establish lung aeration at birth, which is necessary during transition from intra-uterine to extra-uterine life.1,2 Current international resuscitation guidelines recommend respiratory support in a non-invasive manner using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and/or intermittent positive pressure ventilation (iPPV) applied via a facemask.3 –7 However, several studies demonstrated that non-invasive iPPV is often ineffective in achieving lung aeration unless the infant breathes spontaneously.
Source: Resuscitation - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Clinical paper Source Type: research