The Effect of the Prediabetic State on the Survival of the Fetus and the Birth Weight of the Newborn Infant

Abstract

ONE of the outstanding characteristics of infants born to diabetic mothers is a high fetal and neonatal mortality rate. In addition there occur in some infants born to diabetic mothers striking somatic and visceral changes, among which are an increased birth weight, cardiomegaly, hyperplasia of the islands of Langerhans, excessive extramedullary erythropoiesis, hyperplasia of the adrenal glands and an increase in the eosinophil elements of the anterior pituitary body.¹ Similar observations have been made on infants born to mothers who were not diabetic at the time of delivery but in later months or years developed signs and symptoms of diabetes. . . .