Pancreatic-islet fibrosis in young infants of diabetic mothers

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Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Isolation, Culture, and Imaging of Human Fetal Pancreatic Cell Clusters
08:09

Isolation, Culture, and Imaging of Human Fetal Pancreatic Cell Clusters

Published on: May 18, 2014

G T Hultquist, L B Olding

    Lancet (London, England)
    |November 22, 1975
    PubMed

    Insights

    Infants born to diabetic mothers showed pancreatic-islet fibrosis in over half of cases studied. This condition was associated with increased birth weight and major malformations in affected infants.

    Area of Science:

    • Perinatal Medicine
    • Endocrinology
    • Pathology

    Background:

    • Maternal diabetes mellitus is a known risk factor for adverse perinatal outcomes.
    • Infant outcomes associated with diabetic pregnancies require further investigation.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the occurrence and extent of pancreatic-islet fibrosis in infants born to diabetic mothers.
    • To identify potential correlations between islet fibrosis and infant characteristics.

    Main Methods:

    • Necropsy examination of pancreatic islets from ten infants born to diabetic mothers (aged 11-142 days).
    • Histopathological assessment of fibrosis extent within pancreatic islets.
    • Correlation analysis with birth weight, physical appearance, and presence of malformations.

    Main Results:

    • Pancreatic-islet fibrosis was observed in 60% (6/10) of infants.
    • Fibrosis affected 5-10% of islet area in three cases, 10-20% in two, and >20% in one.
    • The three infants with the most severe fibrosis were heavier than normal at birth and exhibited a
    • diabetic appearance" at birth.
    • Five of the six infants with islet fibrosis also had major malformations.

    Conclusions:

    • Pancreatic-islet fibrosis is a significant finding in infants of diabetic mothers.
    • The severity of fibrosis may correlate with birth weight and specific infant phenotypes.
    • Association with major malformations suggests a complex interplay of factors in diabetic embryopathy.

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