<prompt> Most common cause of respiratory distress in pre- termsHyaline membrane diseasePneumoniaLow birth weightHydrocephalus  <response>: A Hyaline membrane disease RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME RDS of the newborn is an acute lung disease caused by surfactant deficiency, which leads to alveolar collapse and noncompliant lungs. Previously known as hyaline membrane disease, this condition is primarily seen in premature infants younger than 32 weeks gestation. It can also result from a genetic problem with the production of surfactant associated proteins. IRDS affects about 1 of newborn infants and is the leading cause of death in preterm infants. The incidence decreases with advancing gestational age, from about 50 in babies born at 26-28 weeks, to about 25 at 30-31 weeks. The syndrome is more frequent in infants of diabetic mothers and in the second born of premature twins. 