The nurse performs a 12-lead electrocardiogram on the 6-hour-old 39-week-gestation neonate admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit for respiratory distress syndrome. The baby initially required continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) but is now comfortably tachypneic on room air, with an oxygen saturation of 98% in both the right and left hands. The chest x-ray indicates transient tachypnea of the newborn. Right axis deviation suggesting right ventricular hypertrophy is noted on the ECG. The nurse anticipates the provider to give the parents which information?

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“All babies are born with right ventricular hypertrophy. This will likely resolve over the next few months.”. All babies are born with right ventricular hypertrophy due to the relatively high pulmonary pressures that the right heart must pump against. It resolves over the first few months of life as the pulmonary pressures decrease and the left ventricle increases in size. The term baby with transient tachypnea of the newborn who has oxygen saturations of 98% in both hands on room air does not require intubation and surfactant. An echocardiogram is not necessary for this patient. The patient does not need to be minimally stimulated; in fact, crying will help the baby to clear the fluid in the lungs.

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