Typical clinical signs of PPHN include?

• A. Tachypnea, hypoxemia, cyanosis
• B. Jaundice and hepatomegaly
• C. Hypotension and bradycardia
• D. Productive cough

Answer: (A)

PPHN causes persistent high pulmonary vascular resistance after birth, leading to right-to-left shunting of blood and resulting in poor oxygenation. The most telling signs are tachypnea from the increased work of breathing, hypoxemia as blood bypasses the lungs and saturation drops, and cyanosis due to the low arterial oxygen content. Together, these reflect the newborn’s struggle to oxygenate despite ventilation.

In this context, jaundice and hepatomegaly point to liver-related issues rather than this pulmonary rite-of-passage physiology. Hypotension and bradycardia can occur in severe illness but are not the hallmark presentation of PPHN, and a productive cough isn’t typical of this condition in a newborn, where the concern is predominantly about oxygenation and shunting rather than airway infection.