What is transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN)?
Transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN) is a term for a mild respiratory problem of babies that begins after birth and lasts about three days. Other terms for TTN are “wet lungs” or type II respiratory distress syndrome. • “transient” means temporary • “tachypnea” means fast breathing rate What causes transient tachypnea of the newborn? It is thought that slow absorption of the fluid in the fetal lungs causes TTN. This fluid makes taking in oxygen harder and the baby breathes faster to compensate. Who is affected by transient tachypnea of the newborn? Only a small percentage of all newborns develop TTN. Although premature babies can have TTN, most babies with this problem are full-term. The condition may be more likely to develop in babies delivered by cesarean section because the fluid in the lungs does not get squeezed out as in a vaginal birth. What are the symptoms of transient tachypnea of the newborn? The following are the most common symptoms of transient tachypnea of the newbo
