Question 1

what assesses fetal lung maturity?

Accepted Answer

Fetal Lung: There are several indications that the fetus is developing normally. The length of the fetus can be determined by an ultrasound. The lungs may be visualized , and the development of any changes in the lung determined within the limitations of the testing.
 In addition, the developing lung produces surfactant and if the infant is born prematurely, supplemental surfactant may be needed.

Question 2

how long does it take for a fetus's lungs to mature when taking steroid shots?

Accepted Answer

Depends: Depends on the age of the fetus but if you are talking about near term &gt;35 weeks, about 24-48 hours of steroids.  If fetus is younger 32-34 weeks, more like 72 hours. Even term infants do not have mature lungs, lungs continue to develop until the child is about 2 years old!

Question 3

at which week do fetal lungs start to mature and by which week they are completed?

Accepted Answer

Long answer: Fetal lungs go through 5 major stages beginning with the embryonic stage when the primordial lung buds form at 4 weeks of gestation, and end with the alveolar phase at about 36 weeks as the luns start to form the many millions of tiny air sacs known as alveoli. Lung maturation continues after birth until almost 8 years of age when adult type of lungs are fully formed. The whole answer is in books

Question 4

how long should it take for a fetus's lung to mature when taking steroid shots?

Accepted Answer

1-2 days.: After 1-2 days from the first Betamethasone shot there is fetal lung maturation; it is maximal for 2-7 days and dissipates after 10-14 days.

Question 5

what sort of fetal lung diseases can occur?

Accepted Answer

Many.: Caml (cystic adenomatoid malformation of the fetal lung), bps (bronchopulmonary sequestration), lobar emphysema, bronchial atresia, hamartomas, tracheal agenesis/chaos (congenital high-airway obstruction sequence).

Question 6

how does the test for fetal lung maturity work?

Accepted Answer

Yes: Stress and duration in utero prepare the lungs to stay open using surfactant. Respiration not needed in utero, mom and placenta do the work. The amnio and ratio forecast how able the lungs are to deal with ambient atmosphere and pressure to respire normlly.

Question 7

can you please tell me why diabetes affects the lung surfactant of the fetus?

Accepted Answer

Delayed maturation: Maternal diabetes during pregnancy has an impact on the maturation of the baby's lungs, especially the surfactant system which tends to become fully functional around 38-40th week in normal pregnancies. With maternal diabetes, this process gets delayed & can lead to problems with breathing for the baby after birth (esp if born by c section). Talk to yr doc for further eval of lung maturity by test.

Question 8

fetus with a collapsed lung. is it possible to operate?

Accepted Answer

Confusing question: The lung of a fetus does not collapse before birth, it may not develop or be pushed out of position by intestines that invade the lung cavity. If the lung didn't develop on one or both sides, death soon after delivery is possible. If intestines are pushing normal lung to the side, surgery can pull it back & see if it will work.Collapse of normal lung after birth can be re-inflated without surgery.

Question 9

fetal lung fluid & urine make amniotic fluid, right? so what caused oligohydramnios?

Accepted Answer

Decreased perfusion: Oligo can be either loss of fluid or decreased production. A stressed infant will shunt oxygenated blood to more vital organs, less renal perfusion, therefore less urine produced. Anything that decreases placental perfusion can cause it (abruption or placental separation, poor implantation, vascular problems, clots, uterine abnls, etc). There are too many causes to list here, ask your ob.

Question 10

fetal lung fluid & pee = amniotic fluid? so how do they get chromosomes?

Accepted Answer

Exfoliated fetal cel: The amniotic fluid that is contained within the pregnancy sac and surrounds the fetus is fetal urine (after 16-18 weeks) and is swallowed by the fetus and aspirated into its lungs to help them mature. When a doctor performs an amniocentesis to sample this fluid, the goal is to get fetal cells that float in that fluid (exfoliated from various fetal tissues but mainly from the skin) for dna analysis.

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Doctor answers about:

What is fetal lung maturation

A member asked:

What assesses fetal lung maturity?

A member asked:

How long does it take for a fetus's lungs to mature when taking steroid shots?

A member asked:

At which week do fetal lungs start to mature and by which week they are completed?

A member asked:

How long should it take for a fetus's lung to mature when taking steroid shots?

A member asked:

What sort of fetal lung diseases can occur?

A member asked:

How does the test for fetal lung maturity work?

A member asked:

Can you please tell me why diabetes affects the lung surfactant of the fetus?

A member asked:

Fetus with a collapsed lung. is it possible to operate?

A member asked:

Fetal lung fluid & urine make amniotic fluid, right? so what caused oligohydramnios?

A member asked:

Fetal lung fluid & pee = amniotic fluid? so how do they get chromosomes?

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