[Newborn infants of diabetic mothers]

Some features as well as pathological findings in 63 infants born to diabetic mothers (IDM) under control in a diabetes unit of a general hospital at metropolitan Santiago, Chile, from 1985 through 1988 are presented. Out of 63 newborns, 22 came from mothers with pregestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM) and 41 were born to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Significant differences were detected among PGDM and GDM groups of newborns in the following features: mean gestational age (GE) premature (54.5% vs. 26.8% 37 weeks GE or less), jaundice (40.9% vs. 17.1%) and congenital malformations (18.2% vs. 0%). No significant differences were found in fetal distress, hypoglycemia, respiratory distress syndrome and birth trauma although as a whole these last were more frequently recorded among infant born to insulin dependent diabetic mothers. It is concluded that in spite of an appropriate control, morbidity remains higher in IDM, particularly in IDM PGDM.