Physiological responses of the newborn infant to resuscitation.

Lung ventilation, endotracheal, and intraoesophageal pressures were measured during standard resuscitation of 20 asphyxiated babies born by caesarean section. The most common response to resuscitation was the production of a large positive intraoesphageal pressure. An opening pressure greater than 2.0 kPa was required to expand the lungs of most of these babies. The need for resuscitation was associated with prolonged maternal anaesthesia before delivery.