• Home

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Transient tachypnea - newborn

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment

Alternative Names:

TTN; Wet lungs - newborns; Retained fetal lung fluid; Transient RDS

Treatment:

Your baby will be given oxygen as needed to maintain an adequate blood oxygen level. Pulse oximeter and/or blood gases may be used. Your baby’s oxygen requirement will usually be highest within a few hours after birth and then begin to decrease. Most infants with TTN improve in less than 12-24 hours.

If your baby is breathing very rapidly, feedings may be withheld and IV fluids given for nutrition until your baby improves. Your baby may also receive antibiotics during this time until infection is ruled out. Rarely, babies with TTN may have persistent lung problems for as long as 1 week.

Expectations (prognosis):

TTN usually resolves completely within 24 hours after delivery. Babies who have had TTN usually have no further problems from it and require no special care or follow-up other than their routine pediatrician visits.

• Review Date: 12/4/2006
• Reviewed By: Rachel A. Lewis, MD, FAAP, Columbia University Pediatric Faculty Practice, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.