title: Offspring of diabetic pregnancy: short-term outcomes.
abstract: In spite of clinicians apparently appreciating the risks of maternal diabetes to the baby, babies of mothers with diabetes are still at increased risk compared to those of non-diabetic women. The rate of prematurity in infants of diabetic mothers is five times that of the general population. Women with pre-gestational diabetes give birth to larger babies. In a recent study, half were above the 90th centile for weight. The postnatal management of these babies continues to give cause for concern. In a recent UK study, over half of all infants of diabetic mothers were admitted to a neonatal unit. One-third of these were at term. This admission rate is three times the UK average and examination of cases showed that two-thirds of admissions were unnecessary. It is likely that a high maternal blood glucose concentration is the most important factor causing this increased risk. Babies of women with type 1 and type 2 DM have similar complication rates. Tighter preconceptional glycaemic control as well as during the pregnancy is likely to be important in improving outcome for the babies of diabetic mothers.
authors.affiliation: School of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, University of Liverpool, and Liverpool Women's Hospital, Crown Street, Liverpool L8 7SS, UK. a.m.weindling@liv.ac.uk
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Michael Weindling
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005320:Fetal Macrosomia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000150:complications; D015994:Incidence; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007234:Infant, Premature; D011247:Pregnancy; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D011295:Prenatal Care