Neonatal Glycemic Status of Infants of Diabetic Mothers in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Background: Diabetes is a common medical complication during pregnancy that results in significant neonatal morbidities. In infants of diabetic mothers (IDMs), hypoglycemia is a common complication.

Objective: To study the neonatal hypoglycemia in IDMs in a tertiary care hospital.

Settings And Design: A cross-sectional study was done in postnatal ward in Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetic, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders from January to December 2009.

Subjects And Methods: The data of IDMs were collected from postnatal ward. All IDMs delivered during this period staying in postnatal ward were included in this study. The outcomes were compared between the hypoglycemic and normoglycemic IDMs and between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and pre-GDM in hypoglycemic group using Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test. The data analysis was performed with Epi-enfo7 software. Statistical significance was set at < 0.05.

Results: A total of 363 IDMs were included in this study. Hypoglycemia developed in 38.3% IDMs and 43.2% mothers of hypoglycemic IDMs had GDM and 56.8% had pre-GDM. Duration of maternal diabetes ( = 0.04) and large for gestational age ( = 0.0001) were associated with hypoglycemia. Multigravidae (82.2% vs 68.3%, = 0.03), prolonged duration of maternal diabetes (45.46 weeks vs 3.23 weeks, = 0.00001), preterm babies (48.1% vs 28.3% = 0.009), and control of diabetes by insulin (81% vs 46.7%, = 0.001) were more in pre-GDM, and statistically significant. About 85% IDMs developed hypoglycemia within 6 h of birth (P-value 0.00001) and majority (68%) were at 2 h of age. Forty percent of hypoglycemic IDMs from postnatal ward were admitted in special care baby unit.

Conclusion: Hypoglycemia observed in 38.3% IDMs and developed within 6 h of age and maximum were at 2 h. Early recognition and appropriate intervention are needed in IDMs.