NEONATAL HYPOGLYCEMIA I. Occurrence of Hypoglycemia in Patients with Various Neonatal Disorders

Summary Two or more serial blood glucose determinations were performed before the age of five days in 964 neonates treated in the Children's Hospital. Two or more values of 20 mg/100 ml or less, considered to indicate significant hypoglycemia, were observed in 55 infants, or 5.7% of those studied. The incidence of significant hypoglycemia was 20% in dysmature infants, 16% in infants of diabetic mothers and 15% in critically ill infants dying within ten days of birth. No other important predisposing factors were detected. A screening procedure for the early diagnosis of neonatal hypoglycemia is described.