Perinatal morbidity and mortality in offspring of diabetic mothers in Qatif, Saudi Arabia

Diabetic mothers and their offspring were prospectively studied. Perinatal and neonatal morbidity and mortality data were analysed. Out of 11677 deliveries in the hospital, 133 (1.14%) were delivered by diabetic mothers. They were made up of six (4.5%) stillbirths and 127 (95.5%) live births. Seventy-seven (57.9%), 55 (41.3%) and 1 (0.8%) were large, appropriate and small for gestational age, respectively. Hypoglycaemia occurred in 49 (38.6%) of the 127 infants. Other associated problems were bacterial infections, congenital anomalies, birth trauma, preterm delivery, respiratory distress, polycythaemia and anaemia. Only 52 (39.1%) of the mothers received appropriate treatment for their diabetes during pregnancy. Poor maternal diabetic control resulted in high perinatal morbidity and mortality in the offspring. In order to improve the outcome in offspring of diabetic mothers in Qath and probably Saudi Arabia as a whole, health education and improved care of the diabetic mothers during pregnancy are urgently needed. This may be true of other developing countries where data on diabetes in pregnancy are scarce.