Blood Glucose Level in Term and Preterm Newborns: A Study in Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Abstract

Original Research Article Glucose, amino acids and lactate are the principal energy substrates during fetal life.Hypoglycemiais one of the common metabolic hazards in neonatal medicine practice. The projected neonatal mortality rate for 2020 based on AARR from 2000-2012 is 22 per 1000 live births. It is possible that neonatal hypoglycemia arising as a consequence of fetal malnutrition, birth asphyxia, post natal hypothermia or infection could be responsible for some of unexplained neonatal death. There is an association between blood glucose level and neurological development. Our study involved 125 newbornsand blood glucose levels were estimatedat birth and at 72 hours by glucose oxidase method. A crosssectional study was conducted in Paediatrics inpatient department, Rajshahi Medical College Hospital duringfrom July-2015 to June-2017. Blood sugar levels in preterm babies were lower than term babies at birth (63.71±15.62 and 69.38±16.53 mg/dl respectively) where findings were not statistically significant. But findings at 72 hours were found to be statistically significant (52.61±10.50 and 67.10±10.11 mg/dl). Incidence of hypoglycemia was 15.2%.Hence forth the above study showed that hypoglycemia is a common problem in preterm babies, by taking simple low cost measures the incidence may be reduced, which may have a major impact on early infant mortality and neurodevelopmental sequel of perinatal origin.