Association between neonatal hypoglycaemia and prediabetes in postpartum women with a history of gestational diabetes.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between hypoglycaemia among neonates born to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus and their postpartum prediabetes.

BACKGROUND: Infants born to mothers with diabetes who experienced hyperglycaemia are more likely to develop hypoglycaemia.

DESIGN: A prospective-descriptive research was conducted in three tertiary hospitals in southern Thailand.

METHODS: One hundred and fifty matched pairs of mothers and their newborns were included in the study. Data were analysed using descriptive statistic, odds ratio, Spearman's rho correlation and binary logistic regression.

RESULTS: The incidence of neonatal hypoglycaemia was 42·37% and odds ratio was 0·30. The findings showed the significant association between neonatal hypoglycaemia and postpartum blood sugar levels of women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus.

CONCLUSIONS: Neonatal hypoglycaemia was associated with maternal hyperglycaemia and prediabetes.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Neonatal hypoglycaemia might be used to predict prediabetes of postpartum women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus.