Apnea of prematurity

Apnea of prematurity is a developmental disorder in premature infants that results in respiratory complications. Symptoms include breathing pauses lasting longer than 20 seconds and a decrease in oxygen saturation below 85%. If symptoms persist, hypoxia, bradycardia (<80 beats per minute), and cyanosis may occur.

A distinction is made between central and obstructive apnea. The central apnea is due to immaturity of the medullary respiratory centers, as a result the respiratory muscles do not work properly. Obstructive apnea is caused by various obstructions of the airways, such as neck flexion, laryngospastic reflexes or nasal obstruction; however, the most common is a hybrid of both types. More than 25% of preterm infants suffer from early-term neonatal apnea, which usually begins two to three days after birth and usually ends at 37 weeks.

The prognosis is good, deaths are rare. However, if apnea develops more than two weeks after birth, this indicates another serious illness. As a precautionary measure, infants should sleep on their backs, and there is an increased risk of an apnea episode, especially when sitting down (such as a car seat)