INTRODUCTION: Gestation refers to the period between conception and birth. During this time, the fetus grows and develops in the mother's womb. For humans, the "normal" gestation period is considered to be 40 ± 3 weeks. Birth before the 37th week of pregnancy is considered premature. Respiratory distress syndrome is a breathing disorder of a newborn due to insufficient production of surfactant and structural immaturity of the lungs. Symptoms appear immediately after birth or within a few hours. If the treatment is not started in a timely manner, respiratory failure, hypoxia, and ultimately the death of the newborn may occur. Respiratory distress syndrome occurs due to surfactant deficiency, inadequate surfactant production, or surfactant inactivation in the context of immature lungs. OBJECTIVE: The main goal of the work is to assess the frequency of occurrence of respiratory distress syndrome in prematurely born children at the Merkur Clinical Hospital in the period from 2013 to 2016. RESULTS: In the period from 2013 to 2016, out of a total of 6,256 births in KB Merkur, 460 (7.3%) were premature births, of which 28 (0.4%) had a gestational age of 22-28 weeks, 119 (1.9 %) of gestational age up to 28-31 weeks and 313 (5%) of gestational age of 31-37 weeks. If we look at the total number in the period from 2013 to 2016, the frequency of prematurely born children with a gestational age of 22 to 28 weeks is statistically significantly lower compared to a gestational age of 28 to 31 weeks (p=0.0000) and a gestational age of 31 to 37 weeks (p=0.0000). Symptoms developed between 50% and 57% of newborns who received therapy and between 25% and 82% of those who did not receive therapy. At a gestational age of 22 to 28 weeks and from 28 to 31 weeks, the proportion of newborns who developed the syndrome is higher in the group that did not receive corticosteroid therapy, and at a gestational age of 31 to 37 weeks, the proportion is twice as low in newborns that did not receive therapy. However, the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant for any gestational age CONCLUSION: At a gestational age <32 weeks, the frequency of RDS is higher in newborns who did not receive corticosteroid therapy, while at a gestational age of 32 to 37 weeks, the proportion is twice as low in newborns who did not receive therapy. However, this difference between the two groups was not statistically significant for any gestational age.