Babies’ lung infection risks

SCIENTISTS have found that babies with fatal genetic lung infections are more likely to be underweight and at a risk of premature birth.

The findings suggested that cystic fibrosis (CF) – a genetic life-threatening disorder that affects the lungs and digestive system and limits the ability to breathe over time – could also have an effect on the way babies develop within the womb, the researchers said.

“Using datasets linked across different sources, we could look at over two million children, in two countries, to show that CF has a large effect on birth weight,” said co-principal investigator David Taylor-Robinson, from the University of Liverpool in the UK.

“By investigating the possible link between factors that cause low birth weight and adult health outcomes, we hope to be able to find ways to address these inequalities and give parents of babies with CF hope,” he added.

For the study, published in the journal Thorax, the team analysed data from more than two million babies with and without the disorder.

The findings showed that CF significantly affects intra-uterine growth and leads to lower birth weight in the affected babies. The team explained that poor nutrition and slow growth are common features in babies with CF – both can have an impact on the lung function and survival of those babies. – IANS