Specialist neonatal respiratory care for babies born preterm

Quality statements

Statement 1 Preterm babies having respiratory support soon after birth and before admission to the neonatal unit are given continuous positive airways pressure (CPAP), if clinically appropriate, rather than invasive ventilation.

Statement 2 Preterm babies who need surfactant are given it using a minimally invasive technique if they do not need invasive ventilation.

Statement 3 Preterm babies having invasive ventilation are given volume-targeted ventilation (VTV) in combination with synchronised ventilation.

Statement 4 Preterm babies have a target oxygen saturation of 91% to 95% after stabilisation.

Statement 5 Parents and carers of preterm babies who are having respiratory support are helped to care for their baby.