Perinatal Outcome in Newborns of Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Objective: This study was planned to determine the perinatal outcomes of the newborns of term pregnant women who were diagnosed with GDM and decided to have cesarean delivery. Materials and Methods: Thirty-five pregnant patients diagnosed with GDM were included in the study. The control group consisted of 35 patients who did not have any pregnancy-related disease and were decided to deliver with elective cesarean section. All participants were screened with a 50-g GCT at 24-28 weeks of gestation. Pregnant women with meeting the following laboratory criteria were accepted as GDM. If the serum glucose level was greater than 140 mg/dL on the 50-g GCT, a 100-g OGTT was applied. Diagnosis of GDM was confirmed if 2 of the blood glucose test results were above the following levels: fasting serum glucose ≥ 92 mg/dL and/or 1-hour glycemia ≥ 180 mg/dL, and/or 2-hour glycemia ≥ 153 mg/dL. Perinatal outcome between GDM subjects and control group was compared. All participants in GDM and control groups underwent cesarean deivery. Primary outcome measures included gestational birthweight, gestational age at delivery, stillbirth and neonatal death, minor and major birth defects. Results: While neonatal hypoglycemia was detected in 4 cases in the GDM group, it was found in one case in the control group. No stilbirth was detected in either the GDM group or the control group. While neonatal death was detected in one case in the GDM group, no neonatal death was observed in the control group. While mild preeclampsia was detected in one case in the GDM group, it was not found in the control group. Birth weeks and birth weights of the cases in both groups were recorded similarly. While 8 babies of 2500 grams or less were born in GDM cases, all of the cases in the control group were over 2500 grams. While prematurity was detected in two babies in the GDM group, no prematurity was reported in the control group. Neonatal intensive care needs were seen in three babies in the GDM group, and there were no infants in need of intensive care in the control group. Conclusions: There is a slight increase in low birth weight, prematurity and intensive care unit needs of babies born to mothers with GDM.