Neonatal complications of diabetes in pregnancy: Study of 393 cases

Abstract

Diabetes in pregnant women is a high-risk situation for both mother and fetus. Despite improved management, neonatal morbidity remains very high. We conducted a retrospective descriptive study during 8 months (January-August 2020) in the maternity center of Bizerta in Tunisia, including newborns from diabetic pregnancies. In this study, 393 newborns and 388 diabetic mothers were included. The prevalence of diabetes during pregnancy was 19.06%. Gestational diabetes was the most common type, representing 16.81% of births. Common morbidities in these newborns included transient respiratory distress (52.6%) and early neonatal bacterial infection (42.1%). Congenital malformations were present in 7.6% of cases. Obstetric trauma occurred in 10.9% of cases. Newborn's hospitalization was needed for 33.3%.