Page 84 - What to Expect

Glossary

P
Patent ductus arterlosus (PDA): A typical situation in preemies where the
fetal blood vessel which links the aorta and the pulmonary artery does not
close following birth.
Phototherapy: Treatment for jaundice that involves the use of ultra-violet
or halogen light directed at the baby in the incubator. Treatment usually
lasts for several days.
Pneumothorax: A leak of air out of a baby’s lungs, but still within the chest
cavity. This can press on the lungs and will usually require draining away
outside the body through a tube.

Pulse: The rhythmic expansion and contraction of an artery with blood
flow which may be felt with the finger.

Pulse oximeter: A monitor which measures the amount of oxygen in the
baby’s blood stream. It is usually fixed to the foot or the hand. It has a red
light.

Plasma: The fluid component of blood in which the blood cells are
suspended.

Prone: Describes the position of the baby, when lying on his stomach.
R
Respirator: A machine (also known as a ventilator) that regularly pumps
air in and out of the lungs when a baby cannot breathe for himself.
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP): The abnormal growth of the blood
vessels of the eye, seen in many premature infants. This happens because
the blood vessels are not finished developing at the time of a premature
infant’s birth. They have to finish developing outside the protected
environment of the womb.
RDS (Respiratory Distress Syndrome - also known as Hyaline
Membrane Disease): Usually baby’s lungs are kept open by a chemical,
called surfactant that everyone has in their lungs. Some babies have less
surfactant and the alveoli (small air sacs in the lung) start to close up,
making it really hard for baby to breathe. The baby develops RDS, that is,
has increasing difficulty in breathing. Babies are ventilated and may be
given artificial surfactant.

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