Premi at 32 Weeks with rds?

[MattysGirl]

Had a friend post this problem to me, and I wanted real advice to give.
A young girl gives birth to a 32 week premi, addicted to whatever the Mom was taking, in an emergency c-section after being hit by a truck. The baby was born with the addiction to drugs, as well as Respitory Distress Syndrome. Now a 32 week premi "normally" (not an addict), wouldn't they be born  or likely to be born with respitory distress syndrome?
What I want to know is at 32 weeks gestation is it common for a baby to be born with Respitory Distress Syndrome? And what affects will that have on the baby? Isn't that curable with a ventalator machiene or oxygen therapy?
Right now this baby (8 months old) after a long detox period seems to be okay. The Mom after having her baby taken from her custody is trying to sue everyone in the accident for damages and for them causing her baby to have RDS. Can she really claim that her baby was forced into having RDS because of the c-section at 32 weeks? Or is that part of the drugs? Or just because of the length of gestation at birth?
Not sure how RDS is caused due to gestation...to answer my friend. Need your help.

[babyscience]

Hmm that is a tough one.  The accident probably contributed to her delivering early, which at that stage of pregnancy the lung are not fully prepared to work.  I do think the drugs may have also contributed, but not the cause of RDS.  Looking at it from a distance I would most likely say it was the early delivery, which in turn was a cause of the accident!  However, I think it is horrible that a poor baby has to go through detox and I am glad the state took away custody.

[betty12]

im sorry i dont know to much about this....i know your looking for a good answer but i honestly dont think that it has much to do with her getting hit by the truck becasue the baby is well proctected in her stomach....i think it has more to do with the drugs, which is extremly sad...if shes looking to sue and try to get her daughter back well the sueing maybe will work however i dont really think the whole trying to get her daughter back will cuz obviously you just stated that her daughter was born addicted to whatever drugs the "mom" was taking which most likly caused her to have breathing problems, which is again very messed up and sad. and i doubt they will give the baby back to a person who is on drugs!!!