Association between Cord Blood Haematocrit and Neonatal Outcome among Neonates of Diabetic Mothers: A Cohort Study

Introduction: The perinatal mortality rate of Neonates of Diabetic Mothers (NDMs) over the years showed a reducing trend. Polycythaemia is common in NDMs, and such neonates have a risk of hyperviscosity, renal vein thrombosis, cardiac failure, metabolic abnormalities, and necrotising enterocolitis. Aim: To assess the association between cord blood haematocrit and neonatal outcomes among NDMs. Materials and Methods: The present study was a cohort study that included 130 neonates, which was conducted at Amala Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS), Thrissur, Kerala, India, from December 2019 to June 2021. The primary inclusion criteria were singleton neonates of Gestational Diabetic Mothers (GDM) (diabetes detected after 20 weeks of gestation) and Overt Diabetes Mellitus (ODM) defined under White’s classification (known to be diabetic before the onset of pregnancy or detected in the initial visits). The parameters assessed were the frequency of distribution of hypoglycaemia, hypocalcaemia, and hyperbilirubinemia among the neonates of DM. Statistical analysis was done using Fisher’s exact test and Student’s t-test. Results: Among the 130 neonates, the majority of the mothers had GDM 111 (85.4%) than ODM 19 (14.6%). The majority were delivered by normal vaginal delivery 67 (51.5%). 10 (7.7%) of NDMs had a birth weight > 4000 g. Significant associations were noted between cord Packed Cell Volume (PCV) and the presence of hypoglycaemia (p-value=0.003), hypocalcaemia (p-value=0.0001), and Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia (NNH) (p-value=0.0001) among NDMs. Conclusion: Hypoglycaemia, hyperbilirubinemia, and hypocalcaemia were common complications noted in NDMs.