New study finds the key to improving lung growth inside the womb.
Premature baby Final stages of lung development happen late in pregnancy so babies born prematurely can struggle to get enough oxygen and can develop chronic lung disease.
New research carried out on mice showed that a well-known molecule called the calcium receptor is important to the development of lungs in the foetus and “switches on” the growth of the lungs.
Drugs targeting the receptor are already available, but further rigorous tests must be carried out to assess the effectiveness of these drugs in premature babies.