What should be the first intervention if a newborn exhibits respiratory distress?

When a newborn exhibits respiratory distress, the priority is to quickly assess and stabilize the infant's breathing. Providing supplemental oxygen is the appropriate initial intervention in this scenario as it can help improve oxygenation and alleviate distress in many cases of respiratory problems.

In newborns, respiratory distress can be due to several issues, including transient tachypnea of the newborn, respiratory infections, or other conditions that impair effective gas exchange. Administering supplemental oxygen can rapidly increase the concentration of oxygen in the baby's bloodstream, which is crucial for their vital functions, especially in the early minutes after birth or in the presence of respiratory distress.

Other interventions, while important in certain contexts, do not address the immediate need for oxygenation. Intubation may be necessary later if the oxygen supplementation is ineffective or if the baby progresses to needing mechanical ventilation; however, intubation is more invasive and not the most appropriate initial step. Similarly, administering a sedative could further depress respiratory effort and is not a suitable first response. Performing CPR is reserved for situations where the newborn is unresponsive and not breathing, which is a more advanced intervention requiring a different set of immediate actions. Thus, beginning with supplemental oxygen is both a timely and effective first intervention in managing a newborn with respiratory