Study of Growth Process of Infants in Healthy and Gestational Diabetes Mothers in Rafsanjan City in 2017

Gestational diabetes (GDM) can affect neonatal developmental indicators. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the growth process of infants less than 2 years of age with GDM and healthy mothers in Rafsanjan City.

This cross-sectional study was performed on 208 neonates under 2 years of age from healthy mothers (104 neonates) and GDM mothers (104 neonates) in Rafsanjan City in 2017. Weight, height and head circumference were measured at birth, 6, 12 and 18 months. Fasting serum glucose above 126 mg/dl after 8 hours of fasting was considered as GDM. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 16 software and independent t-test, Chi-square and repeated measures analysis. Significant level was considered 0.05.

The mean age of GDM mothers was 31.8±5.3 and healthy mothers were 29.2±5.5 years. Cesarean delivery was reported in 73.1% of mothers with GDM and in 57.7% of healthy mothers (P = 0.020). Changes in weight, height and head circumference in the two groups at birth, 6 months, 12 months and 18 months after birth had an increasing process that was higher in infants of mothers with GDM (P <0.001).

The process of weight, height and head circumference changes in infants born to mothers with GDM was higher.