Plasma lipids and blood glucose in infants of toxemic mothers.

Maternal and cord blood of 34 toxemic and 27 non-toxemic mothers and their infants were studied for lipids and glucose. All the lipid fractions in cord blood were significantly lower (P less than .001) than that of the mother in all groups due to relative impermeability of the placenta. AFD infants of toxemic mothers had significantly higher (P less than .001) value of FFA and triglyceride as compared with AFD infants of non-toxemic mothers. However SFD infants of toxemic mothers had higher FFA only when compared with that of non-toxemic mother. This is possibly due to sympathetic stimulation related to placental insufficiency with hypoxia and hypoglycemia that lead to mobilisation of adipose tissue into FFA and glycerol in fetus. Plasma phospholipid, cholesterol, HDLC, LDLC of infants of toxemic mothers were significantly lower (P less than .001), more so in SFD infants, possibly due to impaired liver function. 53% of infants of toxemic mothers also had hyperbilirubinemia. Cord blood glucose in toxemic group was significantly lower (P less than .05) than AFD infants of non-toxemic group.