Incidence and risk factors for neonatal hypoglycaemia among women with gestational diabetes mellitus in South Auckland

Aims To describe the incidence and risk factors for neonatal hypoglycaemia among the offspring of women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in So uth Auckland, New Zealand Methods A retrospective audit was undertaken of singleton pregnancies deliv ered between 1991 and 1994. Data were obtained for 373 women and their deli veries (57 European, 76 Maori, 198 Pacific Islands, 42 other). Results Pacific Islands women were most likely to have large babies with ne onatal hypoglycaemia in spite of a high use of insulin. Postnatally Maori a nd Pacific Islands women had a high incidence of Type 2 diabetes mellitus ( 21.4, 21.7 vs. 4.3% Europeans, 12.0% others, P = 0.035). Babies experiencin g hypoglycaemia were more likely to have a mother with past GDM (51.2 vs. 2 7.2%, P = 0.01) and greater hyperglycaemia (at diagnosis fasting 6.8 +/- 1. 7 vs. 5.7 +/- 1.1 mmol/l, P < 0.001; finger-prick glucose 5.7 +/- 1.0 vs. 5 .2 +/- 0.8 mmol/l, P < 0.001). Macrosomia, Caesarian section and special ca re baby unit admission were more common in pregnancies complicated by neona tal hypoglycaemia. Conclusions Maternal hyperglycaemia was a major contributing factor to neon atal hypoglycaemia in this population. Undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes was comm on among Maori and Pacific Islands women, confirming the need for earlier d etection and treatment.