Oxygen therapy is another great way to improve the health of premature infants. Oxygen therapy is seen very often when it comes to premature infants. Babies that are born earlier than thirty-seven weeks gestation are at major risk for health complications. One of the most common problems has to do with their respiratory system. Their respiratory system is not completely developed and still needs to mature. Premature infants may develop RDS which is respiratory distress syndrome (Keep, 2008). This is a lack of the surfactant in the lungs, which is a very important liquid. Without surfactant inflation in the lungs increases and causes an insufficient level of oxygen (American Pregnancy Association, 2007). There are also negative affects of oxygen therapy, such as Retinopathy of Prematurity, (ROP) this affects the retina in the eyes of a premature infants, and can cause blindness. Parents always have to take into consideration the risks of any therapy or surgery (Keep, 2008). Parents are often doubtful when it comes down to what they want to put their children through.
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