Perinatal Morbidity of Infants of Diabetic Mothers

Along with the recent progress in controlling the diabetic state during pregnancy, the number of diabetic pregnancies in our country has been increasing. It is not appropriate to apply White's classification to Japanese pregnant women, because more than two-thirds are NIDDM and it is not easy to clarify their duration of illness. Neonatal complications were analyzed in 160 infants of diabetic mothers (IDMs) who were admitted to Tokyo Women's Medical College over the past five years. All were inborn except four. Neonatal outcomes of IDDM and NIDDM were not statistically different. The overall incidence of neonatal complications in IDMs was 66%, and there were no neonatal deaths. Offspring whose mothers had been suffering from retinopathy were likely to be premature and light-for-date infants. A planned pregnancy in diabetic women is likely to decrease neonatal complications. The cooperative total care of diabetic mothers and their offspring by respective specialists, namely endocrinologists, obstetricians and neonatologists is essential for the better prognosis of infants of diabetic mothers.