Immediately after delivery, babies are provided with warmth and suction to remove any secretions that may be blocking their airways. Babies born prematurely require in addition, some oxygen to help them breathe properly after birth. Currently, we give between 30% to 60% oxygen at the Health Sciences Centre. We are conducting this research to determine the most appropriate amount of oxygen to use when we assist preterm babies following their delivery, whether 30% or 60%.
We will be enrolling babies born between 23 to 28 weeks of pregnancy, who were given either 30% oxygen or 60% oxygen in the first 10 minutes of life. The study will not require additional tests or investigations, we will only collect the results when they are done in the hospital. Additionally, we will contact parents of participants at 18 – 24 months of age either in person or via telephone, to conduct follow-ups. These follow-ups will be to find out how the babies are developing. The findings of this Canada-wide study will help us determine the most appropriate oxygen support to give preterm babies in the first 10 minutes of life.
