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INFANT OF DIABETIC MOTHER (IDM)
INFANT OF DIABETIC MOTHER (IDM)
Clinical features of typical IDM:
 overweight for gestational age
 obese
 hirsutism
 plethoric
 excess subcutaneous fat especially face and shoulders
 splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, cardiomegaly
 increased risk of congenital abnormalities
 tendency to develop complications of preterm infant
 i.e. hyaline membrane disease
 hyperbilirubinaemia
 hypoglycaemia
 hypocalcaemia or hypomagnesaemia
The excessive weight of the infant is thought to be due to a high blood glucose level in utero which causes pancreatic islet cell hyperplasia, hyperinsulinaemia and fat deposition. Most infants are electively delivered at 38 weeks gestation. Poor maternal glucose control in the first trimester increases the risk of congenital abnormalities while poor control in the weeks before delivery often results in hypoglycaemia soon after birth.
Treatment:
 prevention: rigorous medical control of maternal diabetes during pregnancy
 early detection of hypoglycaemia by monitoring blood glucose
 early milk feeds
 IV 10% dextrose water if particularly high risk of hypoglycaemia
 treat complications
 examine carefully for congenital malformations
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HYPOGLYCAEMIA
A newborn baby depends largely on glucose for his energy requirements. Glycogen is laid down in the liver with advancing gestation and provides the main source of glucose. Subcutaneous fat stores are also important. Milk feeds supply most energy after birth.
Normal Values:
 Fetal blood glucose is usually 2/3 of the maternal value
 Blood glucose usually 2.5 mmol/l (45 mg %) to 5.0 mmol/l (90 mg %) during the first week of life
 Definition:
 Blood glucose below 2.5 mmol/l (45 mg %)
 Reagent strips are used to screen for hypoglycamia. The correct use of a reflectance meter has greatly increased the accuracy of readings but levels below 1.4 mmol/l should if possible be confirmed with a laboratory measurement.
 Infant is at risk of severe hypoglycaemia ( less than 1.4 mmol/l) if mild hypoglycaemia (1.4 to 2.5 mmol/l) is present.
 Common Causes:
  Decreased glycogen stores
 preterm baby
 underweight for gestational age or wasted baby
 late feeding
  Increased demand for glucose
 respiratory distress
 hypothermia
 infection
  Increased insulin
 infant of diabetic mother
 Rh disease
  Liver damage
 hypoxia
 infection
Rare Cause:
 Pancreatic cell hyperplasia.
 Clinical Presentation:
  Asymptomatic:
 picked up when screening "at risk" babies
 common when infants have mild hypoglycaemia but even infants with severe hypoglycaemia may be asymptomatic
  Symptomatic:
 CNS effects: poor sucking, lethargy, jitteriness, apnoea and cyanosis, convulsions
 cardiac effects: heart failure and respiratory distress
Note: Persistent hypoglycaemia with symptoms results in severe brain damage in more than 30% of cases.
Treatment:
  Prevention:
 Normal infants should be put to the breast immediately after delivery
 Identify infants at risk of hypoglycaemia
 It is particularly important that these infants be started on breast or full strength milk feeds soon after birth
 Tube feed if necessary
 Start intravenous fluids (Neonatalyte) if milk feeds are contraindicated
 Blood glucose levels must be monitored every 1-3 hours for the first 24-48 hours
 Avoid hypothermia
  Treatment of mild hypoglycaemia:
 Give a milk feed
 Keep the infant warm
 Repeat the blood glucose measurement after 30 minutes
 If mild hypoglycaemia persists repeat the feed with milk sweetened with sugar and again measure blood glucose after 30 minutes
 If the reading is still below normal treat as for severe hypoglycaemia
  Treatment of severe or symptomatic hypoglycaemia:
 Start intravenous infusion of 10% dextrose (Neonatalyte) 60 ml/kg/24 hours. Insert umbilical vein catheter if unable to establish a peripheral line.
 Measure blood glucose after 5 minutes. If hypoglycaemia persists increase the intravenous dextrose to 15% (add 10 ml 50% glucose to 100 ml of Neonatalyte). In addition 2.5 ml of 50% glucose can be given very slowly into the bulb of the infusion set. Never give undiluted 50% glucose intravenously or orally as it is very hypertonic.
 Hydrocortisone 5 mg intravenously if glucose therapy alone is not sufficient
 Monitor blood glucose carefully with reagent strips
 Start milk feeds, sweeten with sugar if needed, as soon as possible
In an emergency, if it is not possible to give intravenous glucose, small sweetened milk feeds can be given. Do not give oral glucose feeds
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