Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic lung condition that affects newborn babies who are put on a breathing machine at birth.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) occurs in severely ill infants who have received high levels of oxygen for long periods of time or who have been on a ventilator during treatment for respiratory distress syndrome. It is more common in infants born early (premature) whose lungs were not fully developed at birth.

Risk factors include:

• Prematurity
• Respiratory infection
• Congenital heart disease
• Other severe illness in the newborn that needs to be treated with oxygen or a ventilator

The risk of severe BPD has decreased in recent years.

• Rapid breathing
• Bluish skin color
• Shortness of breath

• Chest x-ray
• Arterial blood gas
• Chest CT scan
• Pulse oximetry