Neonatal Glycemic Status in Infants of Diabetic Mothers in Sulaimaniyah Governorate, Iraq.

Abstract

Background: Neonatal hypoglycemia is a common and serious condition in infants born to diabetic mothers (IDMs), particularly those with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Objectives: This study aimed to explore neonatal glycemic status and its associated maternal and neonatal factors in babies born to diabetic mothers.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Dr. Jamal Ahmad Rashid Pediatrics Teaching Hospital and Sulaimani Maternity Teaching Hospital on 105 neonates born to mothers with type 1, type 2, or GDM. Neonatal blood glucose levels were measured at multiple time intervals (0, 1, 3, and 6 hours). Maternal and neonatal characteristics, including sociodemographic data, clinical characteristics, and delivery outcomes, were analyzed and correlated to neonatal glycemic status.

Results: Most pregnant women (61%) were aged 30 - 39 years, Kurdish (92.4%), had completed high school (33.3%), lived in urban areas (69.5%), had > 3 children (58.1%), were diagnosed with GDM (87.6%), used oral medications (54.3%), had well-controlled blood sugar levels (64.8%), and experienced cesarean section (81.9%). Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) was significantly associated with neonatal blood glucose levels over time (P = 0.003). Glycemic control demonstrated a non-significant rise in blood glucose from birth to 6 hours in all patterns. Fetal weight was inversely and significantly correlated with blood glucose at birth and at 1 hour, but not at 3 or 6 hours. Gestational age showed no significant correlation with blood glucose at birth, 1, or 3 hours, but exhibited a significant correlation at 6 hours (P = 0.030).

Conclusions: Maternal T1DM, more specifically, and fetal weight with gestational age were directly correlated to neonatal glycemic status in infants of diabetic mothers, but in different time periods. Thus, early monitoring and intervention for neonatal hypoglycemia are crucial, especially for neonates with poor maternal glycemic control.