Antepartum findings and obstetric aspects in pregnancies followed by neonatal persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia.

In this study we report antepartum and obstetric findings in cases of persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia of infancy (PHHI). The study is retrospective and covers the years 1983 to 1994, when there were 9 infants treated for PHHI in the region of the University Hospital of Kuopio. One of the mothers had gestational diabetes mellitus and one had insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). There were signs of fetal distress in cardiotocography (CTG) in 3 of 9 cases prenatally and in 3 of 9 cases intrapartum (33%). There were 5 premature deliveries (56%) and 5 cesarean sections (56%) in this series. Five neonates (56%) were macrosomic and one delivery was complicated by shoulder dystocia. Three neonates (33%) had a 1-minute Apgar score of <6, but there were no cases at 5 minutes. In cases of fetal macrosomia without a maternal diabetic problem amniocentesis may be carried out after 34 weeks of gestation to assay amniotic fluid insulin, C-peptide and erythropoietin to reveal rare cases of PHHI where there may be problems of fetal hypoxemia similar to those in diabetic pregnancies.