March of Dimes info on Surfactant

The March of Dimes is a very important organization in my life. The March for Babies walk is May 1st, and I will be working hard to raise money for this wonderful cause. Our goal is to raise $650, which is $10 for every doctor visit Zachary had the first year out of the NICU. You can donate by clicking on the purple "button" on this blog. Even $5 helps!!

I stole this from another blog. Jenn is a fabulous woman who was a nurse for Zachary, but also had her own son early and he was Zachary's neighbor for a week while in the NICU. Thanks, Jenn.

This week's topic: Pulmonary Surfactant, or as we say in the NICU "Surf" (seriously, the NICU has it's own language!).

Surfactant is something we give premature babies to help their lungs be more "compliant." It is a white, soapy substance and we actually put it down a tube, directly into their lungs. Premature babies born before 28-32 weeks are generally born without sufficient surfactant in their lungs. Everyone needs surfactant in their lungs to decrease the surface tension of the aveoli sacs so they can stay open and exchange gases. Surfactant saves the lives of these premature babies by helping their lungs work.

It is amazing how well this stuff works. I have seen babies requiring like 60% oxygen, and then we surf them and we are able to wean the oxygen down to 21%, which is what you and I are breathing right now. Sometimes after we give them surfactant, we are able to take them off the ventilator completely.

Most babies require two doses of surfactant. The first dose is given right after birth. One dose costs around $500. (And I have seen insurance companies try to refuse to pay!!)

The discovery of surfactant was made possible by the March Of Dimes. Before Surfactant, an average of 10,000 premature babies died every year because of Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS). Now, fewer than 1,000 die from RDS annually. That's 1,000 babies too many. Donate to the March of Dimes today to help save the lives of premature babies.

For more info on Surfactant, check this out.

Zachary received 3 doses of surfactant. They usually give one dose for each lung. Zach's right lung didn't respond to the first dose, so he required a second dose on that lung. This made him remain on the vent for an additional day, one day too much.

Thank you March of Dimes for helping find this miracle drug for my son, and for so many others. Will you consider donating? Thanks!