Phenotypic Variations and Birth Weight Trends in Neonates of Gestational Diabetic Mothers- Hospital Based Cohort Study

Abstract

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) represents a significant metabolic challenge during pregnancy, directly impacting fetal growth and development. While the classical phenotype of the infant of a diabetic mother is large for gestational age (LGA), birth weight alone may not capture the full extent of metabolic alterations.

Methods: A hospital-based cohort study was conducted on 105 neonates born to GDM mothers admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to assess phenotypic categories and immediate clinical outcomes. These findings were comparatively analysed against recent literature to identify changing trends in neonatal assessment.

Results: In the current clinical cohort, infants exhibited varied phenotypes: 33.3% were LGA, 53.3% were average for gestational age (AGA), and 13.3% were small for gestational age (SGA). High rates of short-term morbidities were observed, notably hypoglycaemia (64.8%) and respiratory distress syndrome (50.5%).

Conclusion: The phenotypic presentation of infants of GDM mothers is a spectrum ranging from growth restriction to macrosomia. Recent trends indicate a paradigm shift from relying solely on standard birth weight percentiles toward direct body composition analysis to better predict neonatal complications.