Clinical and Biochemical Profile of Term and Preterm Infants of Diabetic Mothers: A Prospective Observational Study

Introduction: Gestational diabetes affects 5-25% of pregnancies, while pre-gestational diabetes complicates 1-2% of all pregnancies. Women with any form of diabetes during pregnancy have higher rates of maternal and perinatal complications. Preterm babies are more prone to complications and are at greater risk when born to mothers with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM). Although there have been many studies focusing on the clinical and biochemical profiles of Infants of Diabetic Mothers (IDM), limited information is available regarding the parameters of preterm babies born to diabetic mothers. Aim: To compare the clinical and biochemical profiles of preterm and term babies born to diabetic mothers. Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted in the Department of Paediatrics at Srinivas Hospital, attached to Srinivas Institute of Medical Sciences and the Research Center, Karnataka, India. A total of 151 neonates were included in the study, adhering to the specified inclusion and exclusion criteria. The birth weights of the newborns were recorded. Serum blood glucose, total bilirubin, and total calcium levels were assessed. Radiological investigations (chest X-ray) were performed in cases of respiratory distress, along with other investigations as clinically indicated. Comparisons between the two groups were made using the Student’s unpaired t-test or Mann-Whitney U test, with p<0.05 considered significant. Results: Out of the 151 newborns born to mothers with diabetes, 51 (33.7%) were born preterm, while 100 (66.2%) were term. Among the preterm newborns, the majority were delivered via Lower-Segment Cesarean Section (LSCS) (74.5%), compared to 56.5% of term newborns whose mothers underwent LSCS (p-value <0.05). Notably, 54.9% of preterm deliveries occurred in mothers with a gravida of three or more (p-value=0.09). Among preterm Infants with Diabetic Mothers (IDM), 22 out of 51 (43.1%) experienced at least one adverse event, such as hypoglycemia, hyperbilirubinemia, hypocalcemia, polycythemia, birth asphyxia, birth injuries, congenital anomalies, or respiratory distress, compared to 35% of term babies facing one of these adverse events. Conclusion: Although the clinical and biochemical parameters were poorer in preterm babies born to mothers with diabetes, there was no statistically significant difference when compared to term babies.