Neonatal hypoglycaemia, relative placental weight and maternal pre-eclampsia: any relationship?

ABSTRACT

Pre-eclampsia is known to be associated with various placental morphologic changes as well as fetal growth restriction. Growth restricted neonates are at increased risk of hypoglycaemia in the first three days of life. The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between occurrence of neonatal hypoglycaemia and the relative placental weight in mothers with pre-eclampsia. The blood glucose concentrations of 69 neonates born to mothers with pre-eclampsia were determined three times daily during the first three days of life. The birthweight of each of the neonates as well as the corresponding weight of the placenta were determined and recorded. The relative placental weight was calculated using the formula Weight of placenta x 100/Birthweight of the infant. Overall prevalence of neonatal hypoglycaemia was 47.8%. Of the 69 neonates, severe neonatal hypoglycaemia (blood glucose < 1.6 mmol/L) was prevalent in 10 (14.5%) and 15(21.7%) had blood glucose level between 1.6 and 2.5 mmol/L. The relative placental weight did not differ with the severity of maternal pre-eclampsia. No statistically significant correlation was obtained between the relative placental weight and neonatal hypoglycaemia.