Placental transfusion in infants of diabetic mothers elucidated by placental residual blood volume.

Abstract

SummaryThe influence of the method of delivery and the clamping technique on the placental transfusion is investigated by measurement of the placental residual blood volume in 58 infants of diabetic mothers and in 65 infants of nondiabetic mothers.It is shown that infants of diabetic mothers delivered vaginally compared with infants of diabetic mothers delivered by caesarean section, have a larger placental residual blood volume, if early clamping is employed. This relation suggests that also in infants of diabetic mothers, a temporary deposition of the distribution of the foeto‐placental blood volume between the infant and the placenta occurs during vaginal delivery, because of the impaired venous backflow to the infant. The difference in the placental residual blood volume is more pronounced for infants of diabetic mothers than for infants of non‐diabetic mothers.Further, it is shown that the placental residual blood volume is significant larger in infants of diabetic mothers but only after vaginal delivery with early clamping, compared with the same group of infants of non‐diabetic mothers.