Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, or PPHN, occurs when a newborn's circulation system doesn't adapt to breathing outside the womb.
While in the womb, the fetus receives oxygen through the umbilical cord, so the lungs need little blood supply. There is high blood pressure in the lungs, so blood in the pulmonary artery is sent away from the lungs to the other organs through a fetal blood vessel, called the ductus arteriosus.
Normally, when a baby's born and begins breathing, the blood pressure in the lungs falls and blood flow to the lungs increases. Oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged in the lungs, then the blood is returned to the heart and pumped back out to the body. The ductus arteriosus constricts and permanently closes in the first day of life.
In babies with PPHN, the pressure in the lungs stays high and the ductus arterious remains open, allowing blood to be directed away from the lungs. PPHN is a rare but life-threatening condition that appears most often in full-term or post-term babies who have had a difficult birth or conditions such as infection or birth asphyxia.
The signs and symptoms of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn may include:
Various imaging and laboratory tests can help determine if a baby has persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn. These may include:
In treatment for PPHN, the main goal is to increase oxygen flow to the baby's organs to prevent serious health problems. Treatment may include a wide range of mechanical ventilation and respiratory therapy options such as:
Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital.
Last updated
September 27, 2011
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