CIRCULATORY COMPROMISE & HYPOXEMIA IN THE NEWBORN

The magnitude of cardiovascular and respiratory changes which occur at the time of birth are unparalleled to anything individuals would experience throughout their entire life. Disorderly transition from intrauterine life to independent existence leads to circulatory compromise and hypoxaemia, with implications across the entire life-course. Prematurity and intrauterine growth restriction themselves, oftentimes accompanied by severe lung disease, alter the shape and working of the heart and the blood vessels; changes which persist for many decades. This Doctorate thesis analyses the circulatory and oxygen delivery related challenges in newborns using state-of-the-art echocardiography. It delves into the physiology behind cardiorespiratory deteriorations and diagnostic dilemmas to construct a coherent narrative for therapeutics and future research.