Metabolic events in infants of diabetic mothers during first 24 hours after birth. II. Changes in plasma lipids.

Changes in plasma glycerol (FG), free fatty acids (FFA) and triglyceride (TG) were studied in 24 normo- and 8-hypoglycemic infants of diabetic mothers (IDM). In both groups a normal rise in plasma FG 2 hours after birth was found indicating unimpaired lipolysis. The rise in plasma FFA, however, was only about 50% of normal in normoglycemic IDM and about 25% of normal in hypoglycemic IDM. The rise in plasma TG was normal in normoglycemic and about 70% of normal in hypoglycemic IDM. The 2 hour rise in plasma FFA correlated with the 2 hour concentration of insulin and glucose, whereas the rise in plasma FG and TG did not. Maternal plasma FFA correlated with fetal FFA retention (umbilical vein minus artery (V-A) FFA concentrations). No correlations were found between maternal plasma FFA values and birth-weights nor between umbilical V-A FFA concentrations and birth-weights.