The lungs are the organs responsible for gas exchange. Humans require oxygen for cellular respiration, and they produce carbon dioxide as a waste product. The lungs are composed of a number of multiple levels of branching airways, called bronchi....
Although your baby's lower respiratory system started forming shortly after its heart began to beat, the lungs are among the last organs to fully mature before birth. Most newborns come into the world ready to breathe on their own, but some don't,...
Lung development in a fetus starts during the embryonic phase, at around four weeks of gestational age. Very early in development, what will eventually be a baby is nothing more than a cell ball, where none of the cells are yet specialized. An...
A baby needs a fully developed set of lungs in order to breathe well on her own and to provide enough oxygen for her body's tissues. A premature baby's lungs may be underdeveloped, causing difficulty with breathing and putting the baby at risk of...
A baby's lungs begin to develop during the fetal period and continue maturing into early childhood. Some children have difficulties with respiratory development due to illness or prematurity. Respiratory development that has been compromised...
The respiratory system, which includes the lungs, is a vital organ system within the human body. Lungs begin budding in an embryo as early as three weeks after conception, according to the University of Edinburgh, and babies take their first...
Throughout the process of pregnancy, mothers- and fathers-to-be are looking for normal, healthy growth of their unborn child. As a way of better handling the rigors of childbirth, many women participate in exercise programs. While exercise during...
Exercising is just one of a series of steps you can take in order to get in shape and live a healthier lifestyle. The effectiveness of your workout is determined by several different factors, including your lung capacity. As you get your lungs...
A fetus in the womb does not begin its existence with fully functioning lungs. Instead, the infant relies on its mother to provide the oxygen required for living. A fetus doesn't really breathe in the womb. The lungs are full of amniotic fluid....
Phencyclidine, or PCP, is often categorized as a hallucinogen but is properly known as a dissociative drug, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The mind-altering effects of PCP include distorted perceptions of the senses and a...
Placenta previa is a condition of pregnancy in which the placenta covers all or part of the cervix. Some causes of placenta previa include uterine scarring, an abnormally shaped uterus, multiple gestation and previous c-section delivery. Placenta...
The term hernia refers to the protrusion of an organ through an opening in the wall that normally contains it. In a diaphragmatic hernia, a defect in the wall of the diaphragm allows organs from the abdomen to push through. According to the book...
Dietary sources of vitamin D are limited to fortified foods, eggs and a handful of fish products. This relative scarcity contributes greatly to widespread deficiency. The November 2009 issue of the medical journal "Osteoporosis International"...
Every year, about 1,000 miners die from black lung disease in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Black lung disease is caused by long-term exposure to coal, graphite or man-made carbon. Doctors call...
The third trimester is traditionally a time when the new mother begins to gather clothes and supplies and prepare a room for the forthcoming infant. She has passed through morning sickness, and through the relatively easy second trimester. The...
Approximately one infant out of every 2,200 to 5,000 live births has a condition called diaphragmatic hernia, according to MedlinePlus. A diaphragmatic hernia is a type of birth defect that occurs when the diaphragm does not completely form during...
According to BioMedSearch.com, fetal kidneys can be visualized with ultrasound from as early as twelve weeks. Because these organs are so easy to visualize, congenital defects in the kidney can be identified, and in some instances surgically...
Although kidney cysts can be diagnosed at any age, the majority of cases are identified through renal ultrasound or shortly after a baby is born. The severity of this condition is highly variable. In some instances, people make it to adulthood...
Lung cancer evolves in different ways depending on the patient and the type of cancer. Many patients do not develop any symptoms, reports the U.S. Centers for Disease Control Prevention. 25 percent of cases do not develop any symptoms until the...
Initial treatment for your baby's omphalocele depends on how severe the condition is and whether there are any other associated conditions that take priority. If your child also has a cardiac defect or poor lung development, these conditions may...
Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, including cyanide, lead and at least 60 cancer-causing compounds, reports BabyCenter. Nicotine and carbon monoxide are two of the most dangerous chemicals that are inhaled during cigarette...
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a baby is considered to be premature if he is born before his mother's 37th week of pregnancy. The NIH reports that between 8 and 10 percent of U.S. pregnancies are premature. The development...
Hiccups are spasms that occur in the diaphragm. During the spasm, air enters the diaphragm, causing a sound to escape. It is fairly common for people to experience hiccups, but it can make expectant mothers nervous when hiccups come from an unborn...
Treatment of HELLP syndrome will depend on the severity of your symptoms, your overall health, the health of your unborn baby, the extent of the disease and the gestational age of the fetus. The results of your physical exam and lab work will...
If your child is experiencing difficulty when breathing, or dyspnea, it can be very scary for both you and her. "State of the Air," by The American Lung Association, explains that 80 percent of the air sacs in your child's lungs will continue to...
Smoking cigarettes causes changes in the respiratory system that create immediate and long-term health problems. The mouth, airways, lungs and pulmonary blood vessels can all be affected by the toxins and carcinogens in tobacco smoke. Individuals...
According to the American Pregnancy Association, a baby born before 37 weeks' gestation is considered premature. Medical factors may contribute to prematurity, but in some cases, the cause of prematurity is unknown. The earlier a baby is born, the...
The first year of a tobacco use habit holds risks for immediate health problems and the likelihood of an early death. Many people begin smoking or return to smoking with the aim of quitting before too much damage is done. Their plans may be...
The effects of secondhand and thirdhand tobacco smoke on infants and children are serious. Health problems can develop with any level of exposure, according to the U.S. Surgeon General. Childhood issues caused by cigarette smoking may begin even...
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