Objectives: Compare newborns with respiratory distress syndrome and the control group, to determine if there are differences between the two groups, based on maternal disease history and infant data. Study design: Case-control study with historical data Participants and methods: Participants are newborns with respiratory distress syndrome at the CHC Osijek in the period from 1. 1. 2019. to 31. 12. 2021. The control group is the first newborn born after the examinee who does not have respiratory distress syndrome. Data was collected from medical records. The results are presented in tables and absolute and relative frequencies. The χ2 test and Fisher’s exact test were used, and the level of statistical significance was set to α = 0.05. Results: Newborns with respiratory distress syndrome were more likely to experience complications during childbirth and were born by caesarean section, compared to the control group. They also had a lower Apgar score in the first and fifth minute. Mothers of newborns with respiratory distress syndrome were more likely to have a chronic disease or develope a disease during pregnancy, compared to mothers in the control group. Perinatal infection was the most common cause of respiratory distress syndrome. Newborns with respiratory distress syndrome had to be hospitalized for longer. Conclusion: Identified risk factors for the development of respiratory distress syndrome are chronic maternal disease (especially hypertension), cesarean section and childbirth in the 38th week of gestation. Perinatal infection and asphyxia are the most common causes of respiratory distress syndrome in full-term newborns.