Sygeligheden hos spædbørn født af diabetiske mødre

INTRODUCTION: The pregnancies of diabetic mothers, their deliveries, and complications in relation to the White class are well described. In contrast, very little is known about the morbidity of infants below one year of age, if their mothers suffer from diabetes mellitus. We examined this type of morbidity by analysing hospitalisation after the initial discharge, days with fever, number of contacts to their general practitioner, and increase in weight during the first year of life in relation to the maternal White class.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: We carried out a questionnaire-based, follow-up study comprising 217 pregnant women with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, who were referred to Aarhus Kommune Hospital/Skejby Sygehus for pregnancy and birth care in the period 1985-1995.

RESULTS: We found that 20.3% of the infants had been hospitalised in the first year of life. There was a significant decrease in hospitalisation, fewer visits to the doctor, and fewer days with fever the higher the White class. Infants born of mothers belonging to White class B had the highest median birth weight.

DISCUSSION: Infants who are delivered of mothers who suffer from severe diabetes have a similar rate of morbidity in their first year of life to children whose mothers only suffer from a mild type of diabetes.