The rate of death among very-low-birth-weight infants has been reduced by about 30% because of administration of

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Surfactant helps to reduce the surface tension in the lungs, allowing the alveoli to stay open and preventing collapse. This is particularly important for very-low-birth-weight infants, who may not have developed enough surfactant on their own. By administering surfactant, the rate of death among these infants has been reduced by about 30%. Estrogen, oxygen, blood transfusions, and anesthetics do not have the same impact on reducing the rate of death in very-low-birth-weight infants.

The Rate of Death Among Very-Low-Birth-Weight Infants Has Been Reduced