ABSTRACT
Newborn transition is a phase of complex change involving lung fluid clearance and lung aeration. We aimed to use a digital stethoscope (DS) to assess the change in breath sound characteristics over the first 2 h of life and its relationship to mode of delivery. A commercially available DS was used to record breath sounds of term newborns at 1-min and 2-h post-delivery via normal vaginal delivery (NVD) or elective caesarean section (CS). Sound analysis was conducted, and two comparisons were carried out: change in frequency profiles over 2 h, and effect of delivery mode. There was a significant drop in the frequency profile of breath sounds from 1 min to 2 h with mean (SD) frequency decreasing from 333.74 (35.42) to 302.71 (47.19) Hz, p < 0.001, and proportion of power (SD) in the lowest frequency band increasing from 0.27 (0.11) to 0.37 (0.15), p < 0.001. At 1 min, NVD infants had slightly higher frequency than CS but no difference at 2 h.Conclusion: We were able to use DS technology in the transitioning infant to depict significant changes to breath sound characteristics over the first 2 h of life, reflecting the process of lung aeration.What is Known:⢠Lung fluid clearance and lung aeration are critical processes that facilitate respiration and mode of delivery can impact this⢠Digital stethoscopes offer enhanced auscultation and have been used in the paediatric population for the assessment of pulmonary and cardiac soundsWhat is New:⢠This is the first study to use digital stethoscope technology to assess breath sounds at birth⢠We describe a change in breath sound characteristics over the first 2 h of life and suggest a predictive utility of this analysis to predict the development of respiratory distress in newborns prior to the onset of symptoms.
