Sara Zbair
Background: Prenatal exposure to a diabetic environment increases the risk for postnatal issues, complications in the neonatal period, as well as long term metabolic and neurodevelopmental disorders. Objective: This study aims to assess the risk of mortality and morbidity in infants delivered to women with diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods: A retrospective, descriptive observational study including 60 newborns of mothers with diabetes mellitus (DM) that were admitted in the NICU of University Hospital of Mohammed VI, Marrakesh, Morocco within a period of 10 months. Results: During the study period, 78% of mothers were diagnosed with gestational diabetes (GDM) that was clinically compensated, 5% had type 1 diabetes and 16% type 2. Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) was associated in 21.6%. Among Newborns: 49.5% were females vs 57.5% males. The main observed complications observed were: respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) (51.6%), prematurity (26.6%), macrosomia (18.3%), hyperbilirubinemia (30%), hypoglycemia (20%), hypocalcemia (23.3%). The hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was the most observed cardiac dysfunction (11.6%) and nine (15%) neonatal deaths were observed. Conclusion: Despite all the improvement in postnatal care, perinatal complications of pregnancies with diabetes, both: pre-gestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), are still associated with significant morbidities and mortality. Promoting pregnancy follow up and better preconception and inter-pregnancy care might reduce these risks.
Published Date: 2021-11-29;
