Neonatal hypoglycemia

Neonatal hypoglycemia occurs when the neonate's blood glucose level is less than the newborn's body requirements for factors such as cellular energy and metabolism. There is inconsistency internationally for diagnostic thresholds. In the US, hypoglycemia is when the blood glucose level is below 30 mg/dl within the first 24 hours of life and below 45 mg/dl thereafter. In the UK, however, lower and more variable thresholds are used (<18 mg/dl at anytime OR baby with abnormal clinical signs and a single value <45 mg/dl OR baby at risk of impaired metabolic adaptation but without abnormal clinical signs and a measurement <36 mg/dl and remaining <36 mg/dl at next measurement). The neonate's gestational age, birth weight, metabolic needs, and wellness state of the newborn has a substantial impact on the neonates blood glucose level. There are known risk factors that can be both maternal and neonatal. This is a treatable condition. Its treatment depends on the cause of the hypoglycemia. Though it is treatable, it can be fatal if gone undetected. Hypoglycemia is the most common metabolic problem in newborns. Neonatal hypoglycemia occurs when the neonate's blood glucose level is less than the newborn's body requirements for factors such as cellular energy and metabolism. There is inconsistency internationally for diagnostic thresholds. In the US, hypoglycemia is when the blood glucose level is below 30 mg/dl within the first 24 hours of life and below 45 mg/dl thereafter. In the UK, however, lower and more variable thresholds are used (<18 mg/dl at anytime OR baby with abnormal clinical signs and a single value <45 mg/dl OR baby at risk of impaired metabolic adaptation but without abnormal clinical signs and a measurement <36 mg/dl and remaining <36 mg/dl at next measurement). The neonate's gestational age, birth weight, metabolic needs, and wellness state of the newborn has a substantial impact on the neonates blood glucose level. There are known risk factors that can be both maternal and neonatal. This is a treatable condition. Its treatment depends on the cause of the hypoglycemia. Though it is treatable, it can be fatal if gone undetected. Hypoglycemia is the most common metabolic problem in newborns. Neonatal hypoglycemia occurs in between 1 in 3 births out of every 1,000 births but is hard to quantify internationally due to lack of consensus about diagnostic thresholds.