Neonatal hypoglycemia refers to a drop in blood sugar levels in the first days after birth. It is one of the most common metabolic disorders, and although it requires medical urgency in its treatment to avoid serious consequences, in most cases it has a good prognosis.
We explain what neonatal hypoglycemia is , and in which cases it can cause a drop in blood glucose levels in the baby.
What is Neonatal Hypoglycemia
While the baby is in the womb, it receives a continuous supply of nutrients through the placenta, the concentrations of which are controlled mainly by the maternal metabolism. By cutting the umbilical cord at birth, the baby will become dependent on its own glycogen stores to help it cope with adaptation outside the womb.
Naturally, all babies have a sharp drop in their blood sugar levels in the first hours after delivery. But eating on demand and early skin-to-skin contact will help you gradually regulate your metabolism.
The causes for which a drop in glucose can occur in a newborn are varied, but we could highlight the following:
- Excess insulin in the baby’s blood due to a genetic disease
- Limited storage of glycogen stores, as a consequence of premature birth or delayed intrauterine growth
- When the baby consumes more than he takes and uses up all his deposits (for example, in cases of hypothermia where the baby must spend many resources to regulate his temperature)
- When you are unable to eat enough to cause your glucose to rise
Which babies are at higher risk for hypoglycemia?
There are certain factors that increase the risk of the baby suffering from neonatal hypoglycemia:
- Poorly controlled gestational diabetes of the mother: normally, in these cases, neonatal hypoglycemia occurs between four and six hours after birth
- Macrosomic babies (birth weight above the 90th percentile)
- Prematurity: according to the Spanish Association of Pediatrics, neonatal hypoglycemia occurs in 15% of babies born before term
- Babies with delayed intrauterine growth have a seven times higher incidence of hypoglycemia than babies with correct prenatal growth
- Situations of perinatal stress and hypoxia (deficit of oxygen in the blood) produce an increase in the use of glucose, and an insufficient supply can cause hyploglycemia
- Severe infection after birth and sepsis
- Certain rare genetic disorders can also lead to neonatal hypoglycemia
- Low thyroid hormone levels
If the baby is in these risk groups, doctors may recommend a blood glucose test to determine its values , and if these are low, proceed to the corresponding treatment early.
Warning signs that could indicate a drop in glucose in the baby
The smaller the baby, the more nonspecific the signs that may indicate hypoglycemia, hence the importance of closely monitoring babies at risk of hypoglycemia . Among the most common manifestations of neonatal hypoglycemia are:
- Very pale or bluish skin color
- Breathing problems such as apneas (pauses in breathing) or rapid breathing
- Weak or abnormally high-pitched cry
- Irritability or nervousness
- Muscle hypotonia, that is, flaccidity or weakness of the muscles
- Low body temperature
- Vomiting
- Tremors
If glucose levels drop dramatically or stay low for a long time, seizures or brain damage may occur.
How is neonatal hypoglycemia treated?
Hypoglycemia is a medical emergency that requires an effective diagnosis and therapeutic approach . Depending on the clinical picture that the child presents, as well as his blood glucose values, the treatment to reverse the hypoglycemic state will vary.
Thus, in babies with mild or moderate hypoglycemia, it may be sufficient to optimize feedings (they must be frequent and adequate), and maintain close medical surveillance. But in other cases, intravenous glucose or certain medications may be required.
It is also important to find out the cause that has produced this hypoglycemia, in order to establish a long-term treatment and a follow-up that prevents the low blood sugar from happening again.
Photos | iStock
Via | Spanish Association of Pediatrics, Elsevier, American Baby Child, LactApp
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