High plasma norepinephrine concentrations at birth in infants of diabetic mothers.

Analysis of plasma norepinephrine (NE) concentrations in umbilical artery and vein from infants of diabetic and nondiabetic mothers revealed high plasma NE values in those of diabetic mothers. While birth weight and arterial plasma NE did not correlate in infants of nondiabetic mothers (r = 0.07, NS), birth weight and plasma NE were related inversely in infants of diabetic mothers (r = -0.73, P less than 0.05).