Abstract
Large for gestational age (LGA) infants are at increased risk for hypoglycemia. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of neonatal hypoglycemia in LGA infants of non-diabetic mothers in a Community Maternity Hospital in Gaziantep, Turkey. Hospital records of 5229 infants of non-diabetic mothers were examined retrospectively. Newborns with birth weight more than 4000 g were defined as LGA. The control group consisted of 100 appropriate for gestational age (AGA) newborns. Capillary blood glucose was measured at the second hour of life. Glucose values lower than 40 mg/dL (2.2 mmol/L) were defined as hypoglycemia. Ninety-six (1.8%) of the 5229 infants were found to be LGA. The mean capillary glucose levels of the LGA newborns were significantly lower than those of the AGA newborns (54 mg/dL (3.0 mmol/L) vs. 95 mg/dL (5.2 mmol/L), p < 0.0001). Neonatal hypoglycemia was established in 16 of 96 LGA infants (16.7%). In the control group hypoglycemia was absent. The rate of hypoglycemia in LGA infants was significantly higher than the rate in the AGA infants (p = 0.0000). As hypoglycemia is not rare in LGA infants and can have serious consequences, blood glucose levels should be screened routinely in LGA infants.
Highlights
Material and MethodsHypoglycemia is one of the major metabolic abnormalities of the newborn and is usually defined as a plasma glucose concentration less than 40 mg/dl (2.2 mmol/L) [7]
The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of neonatal hypoglycemia in large for gestational age infants (LGA) infants of non-diabetic mothers in a Community Maternity Hospital in South East Turkey
Newborns with birth weight more than 4000 g were defined as LGA and their blood glucose level were measured and recorded in their charts
Summary
Material and MethodsHypoglycemia is one of the major metabolic abnormalities of the newborn and is usually defined as a plasma glucose concentration less than 40 mg/dl (2.2 mmol/L) [7]. It has been suggested that hyperinsulinism may be responsible for the hypoglycemia [1]. Fetal hyperinsulinism may cause excessive intrauterine growth. Hypoglycemia may cause serious complications, such as brain damage [4]. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of neonatal hypoglycemia in LGA infants of non-diabetic mothers in a Community Maternity Hospital in South East Turkey. The most higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus (9.4%) was in Turkey is Gaziantep city, where the study was performed. Gaziantep is the second city for the higher prevalence of obesity (27.2%) [9]. Maternity Hospital of Gaziantep serves to the population of town and rural. Patients with low social-economic status of both populations are referred to this hospital
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