Optimising the Cardiopulmonary Transition at Birth for Infants with a Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a severe developmental defect where a hole in the diaphragm allows abdominal organs to enter the chest, restricting lung growth before birth. Consequently, CDH infants are born with small, stiff lungs that take longer to aerate at birth. To help them breathe and transition from fetal to newborn life, CDH infants often require invasive respiratory support immediately after birth. However, as the severity of CDH varies markedly among infants, the optimal support for each infant is likely to differ. This thesis investigates approaches to optimise lung aeration and the transition at birth for CDH infants.