FETAL INSULIN AND BIRTH-WEIGHT IN SAUDI INFANTS

Objectives: Fetal hyperinsulinemia suggested to have a role in macroso mia and there is no information on fetal insulin levels in Saudi popul ation. Therefore, a study has been undertaken to report on cord blood insulin levels in Saudi non-diabetic mothers and its relationship with birth weight. Setting: King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Buraidah, Al Q assim, Saudi Arabia. Methods: Birth weight and cord blood insulin of 2 73 infants of healthy non-diabetic Saudi mothers attending delivery ro om were measured. Clinical data regarding present and past medical ill ness, obstetric history and family history is meticulously recorded. P lasma glucose was measured by Hitachi-704 auto analyser and insulin wa s measured by RIA method. Results: The mean birth weight (+) SE of ter m infants: 3.13+0.03 kg and the mean (+) SE insulin: 48.93+0.35 pmol/L . Incidence of macrosomia (4.8%) was lower than expected and their mea n insulin level was only 50.22 pmol/L. Only one of the 14 infants with elevated insulin levels (>143.5 pmol/L was macrosomic. The incidence of fetal hyperinsulinemia was 5.1%. Conclusions: The incidence of feta l hyperinsulinemia was high (5.1%) in our group of Saudi infants but i t was not associated with macrosomia. Prospective studies to understan d the hyperinsulinemia in infants and implications on development of o besity and diabetes in future are indicated.