Hypoglycemia in infants of diabetic mothers: experience in a rural hospital.

The purpose of this study was to identify which factors contribute to neonatal hypoglycemia in infants of diabetic mothers. A chart review of infants of diabetic mothers was undertaken noting the timing of blood glucose levels, symptoms of hypoglycemia, and interventions provided. The impact of maternal and gestational factors was assessed using marginal mixed models and Poisson regression. Of the 66 infants who had blood glucose determinations, none developed symptomatic hypoglycemia and none required intravenous glucose. The first 90 minutes of life had the lowest mean blood glucose level (mean, 3.01 mmol/L [54.24 mg/dL]) and nearly all of the blood glucose levels < 1.7 mmol/L (30 mg/dL). The risk of a blood glucose level < 1.7 mmol/L decreased with maternal age. With presumably tighter control of gestational diabetes, the risk of symptomatic hypoglycemia appears diminished. If glucose monitoring of asymptomatic newborns is to be performed, it need only be done in the first 2 hours of life.