Neonatal hematocrit and maternal glycemic control in insulin-dependent diabetes

We hypothesized that in infants of diabetic women neonatal hematocrit would correlate with third-trimester maternal glycemic control. Neonatal hematocrit correlated with the maternal total glycosylated hemoglobin level at delivery (r = 0.36; p less than 0.05) but not at 36 weeks of gestation in 32 mother-infant pairs. Improved maternal glycemic control during late gestation may decrease the incidence of neonatal polycythemia.