Babies with bronchopulmonary dysplasia get better slowly over time. It's possible for infants to need oxygen therapy for many months. Some infants with this condition might not survive. Some children are left with chronic lung damage.

Babies who have had BPD are at a greater risk for having recurrent respiratory infections, such as pneumonia, bronchiolitis, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) that require a hospital stay. Many of the airway (bronchiole) changes in babies with bronchopulmonary dysplasia will not go away.

Other potential complications in babies who have had BPD are pulmonary hypertension, poor growth, and developmental problems.

If your baby had BPD, watch for any breathing problems. Call your health care provider if you see any signs of a respiratory infection.

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Review Date: 04/16/2009
Reviewed By: David A. Kaufman, MD, Section Chief, Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Bridgeport Hospital-Yale New Haven Health System, and Assistant Clinical Professor, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)