Infant respiratory distress syndrome

Infant Respiratory Distress Syndrome (IRDS), also known as surfactant deficiency disorder (SDD) or hyaline membrane disease (HMD), is a common breathing disorder in premature infants caused by a lack of surfactant, a substance that keeps the lungs expanded, leading to lung collapse and difficulty breathing. This condition predominantly affects babies born before 28 weeks of pregnancy and may result from developmental insufficiency of surfactant production, structural immaturity of the lungs, neonatal infection, or genetic issues related to surfactant-associated proteins.