Final answer:
A significant number of newborns, especially those born prematurely between 26 and 28 weeks, may need assistance to commence regular breathing due to conditions like Respiratory Distress Syndrome.
Step-by-step explanation:
Up to 50 percent of newborns born between 26 and 28 weeks may require assistance to begin regular breathing.
During gestation, newborns do not need to breathe as they receive oxygenated blood from the placenta. However, several factors stimulate newborns to take their first breath at birth, primarily the increase in blood carbon dioxide levels due to labor contractions. Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) often occurs in premature infants, affecting up to 50 percent of those born between 26 and 28 weeks, due to insufficient production of pulmonary surfactant which is necessary for lung inflation.
Medical treatments, such as the administration of pulmonary surfactant, have significantly reduced the mortality rate associated with RDS. Nevertheless, a significant percentage of premature newborns may still require medical assistance like resuscitation and intubation or support from a ventilator to establish regular breathing.