Prediction of impaired metabolic adaptation by antenatal Doppler studies in small for gestational age fetuses

Management of preterm infants with intrauterine growth restriction

Preterm intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is strongly associated with increased mortality and morbidity. In the management of these infants, complications of preterm birth can be amplified by the effect of suboptimal fetal growth. It is important that pregnancies with IUGR are detected before birth, so that delivery can be arranged in a high-risk maternity unit with the appropriate neonatal staff in attendance. The provision of full support for resuscitation and stabilisation of these infants is crucial to the short-term and long-term health of these infants, who have suffered chronic hypoxia and malnutrition in utero. The long term outcome studies of these infants are retrospective and they include SGA infants. The effects of prematurity affect the outcome of IUGR infants. IUGR is associated with cerebral palsy in those delivered more than 32 weeks gestation. Infants less than 32 weeks of gestation may have poor developmental outcome if the head growth is affected, these infants may have associated cognitive and behavioural problems. Children who fail to grow by 2-4 years are at risk of long term growth problems. This paper outlines the acute and long-term management of these infants.

Metabolic adaptation at birth

After birth, the neonate must make a transition from the assured continuous transplacental supply of glucose to a variable fat-based fuel economy. The normal infant born at term accomplishes this transition through a series of well-coordinated metabolic and hormonal adaptive changes. The patterns of adaptation in the preterm infant and the baby born after intrauterine growth restriction are, however, different to that of a full-term neonate, with the risk for former groups that there will be impaired counter-regulatory ketogenesis. There is much less precise linkage of neonatal insulin secretion to prevailing blood glucose concentrations. These patterns of metabolic adaptation are further influenced by feeding practices.

Hypoglycaemia of the newborn: a review

It is almost a century since hypoglycaemia (a reduction in the glucose concentration of circulating blood) was first described in children, and over 50 years since the condition was first recognized in infants. Nevertheless, controversy still surrounds the definition, significance, and management of neonatal hypoglycaemia. Technological developments such as bedside glucose monitoring have, paradoxically, exacerbated rather than eased the situation. This article reviews the literature on hypoglycaemia of the newborn, and covers the following: historical aspects; glucose homeostasis and metabolic adaptation at birth; the effect of low blood glucose levels on the central nervous system; the definition of hypoglycaemia; screening; prevention; treatment; research needs; and concludes with recommendations for prevention and management.