Problems quickly develop in these newborns because of their inability to shift from fetal circulation to newborn circulation. The newborn system compensates by increasing blood pressure to the lungs. There are a few characteristics which these rare infants have in common. These are more often than not full term deliveries resulting from uncomplicated pregnancies. Depending on the severity of the disease, the distribution of the poorly developed alveolar can be patchy.
Definitive diagnosis is made by lung biopsy or at autopsy.
A link in families has been suggested after reports of cases of affected siblings. The true cause of ACD is still unknown.