The effect of prenatal fructose infusions upon metabolic condition of the newborn.

Changes of total blood sugars, glucose, fructose, lactate, pyruvate, acid-base balance and free fatty acids were followed in 15 healthy newborns whose mothers received fructose infusions during labour. The results were compared with 20 control newborns and with 10 newborns after prenatal glucose infusions. The levels of total blood sugars during 24 h after infusions remained higher after fructose than in 2 other groups. The values of lactate and pyruvate increased, but the lactate/pyruvate ratio remained unchanged. The free fatty acids were lower than in the control group. Results show that fructose is not a suitable source of energy for the human fetus even under normal conditions.