Neonatal Hypoglycemia

The purpose of this study is to determine whether continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) improves the detection and management of neonatal hypoglycaemia in newborns of mothers with insulin-treated gestational diabetes.

PRESENT is a multi-center randomised controlled trial that aims to assess whether access to pasteurized donor human milk as supplementary nutrition in the first five days of life for term infants born to women with diabetes in pregnancy reduces the proportion of infants who are admitted to a neonatal unit for management of hypoglycemia compared with current standard hospital care. The trial will also assess other important outcomes including breastfeeding rates, maternal mental health, and infant cow's milk allergy. There will be two treatment arms. In the intervention arm, PDHM will be made available to infants from randomisation until day 5 of life. Infants allocated to the control arm will receive care as per local unit policy, including supplemental nutrition as recommended by the treating clinician. After hospital discharge, participants will be asked to complete an electronic questionnaire at 2 \& 6 weeks and 6 \& 12 months after birth. Questionnaires will assess infant feeding practices, maternal quality of life \[including anxiety and depression symptoms and health-related quality of life\] along with infant cow's milk allergy symptoms.

Prolact CR (cream) is a fat supplement that is derived from pasteurized human donor milk. It has been utilized in babies who are born premature in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) setting to improve growth while avoiding cow milk exposure. There is no literature on the use of cream as a treatment for low blood glucose levels in newborns who are at risk. It is known that fat in human colostrum plays a vital role in providing energy, substrate, and stimulates gluconeogenesis. Gluconeogenesis is the process that helps in the sustainment of blood glucose. Dextrose gel that is used to treat low blood glucose levels helps in raising the blood glucose, but does not help in sustainment. The objective of this pilot study is to evaluate the utility, feasibility, and acceptability of administering cream for the treatment of newborn low blood glucose levels in a couplet care unit. Investigators hypothesized that 3 ml/kg of cream (0.2 g/kg of carbohydrate and 0.75 g/kg of fat), if given in the place of 0.5 ml/kg (0.2 g/kg of carbohydrate) would increase and stabilize the blood glucose levels. Investigators also speculated that newborns would tolerate the cream with no adverse effects, and caregivers (nurses and parents) would find its use feasible and acceptable. Parents of newborns with risk factors for hypoglycemia \[born to mothers with diabetes, small for gestational age, large for gestational age, or late prematurity (35 to 37 weeks' gestation at birth) who intended to breastfeed exclusively will be approached to consent for the study either before or after delivery of the infant. Newborns with major congenital anomalies or those admitted immediately to the NICU after birth will be excluded. The main questions hoping to answer 1. What percentage of newborns receiving cream for treatment of hypoglycemia will need NICU admission for IV dextrose? 2. How many median doses of cream are needed? 3. What percentage of infants will be discharge exclusively feeding human milk from couplet care unit? 4. What percentage of the surveys will show parent/nursing satisfaction with the product?

Low blood sugar in newborns is common and if prolonged or untreated may place them at increased risk for later learning and behavior challenges. Currently, we measure newborn glucose with at least four painful heel sticks, missing one in four episodes of low blood sugar. The goal of this observational study is to develop a less invasive approach to glucose monitoring, developed for newborns, that provides more frequent glucose measurements. We will also measure how a pregnant woman's health impacts newborn glucose, and how newborn glucose is linked to brain oxygen saturation and development.

In case of threatening preterm birth, it is standard to recommend treatment with betamethasone to accelerate fetal lung maturation. In pregnant women with diabetes, treatment with betamethasone can lead to significant hyperglycemia, which may cause hypoglycemia in the neonate. Changes in blood glucose in non-diabetic women are less investigated. In this study we aim to examine changes in maternal blood glucose levels in non-diabetic women, during treatment with betamethasone, by continuous glucose monitoring. Hypotheses: Administration of betamethasone induce significant hyperglycemia in non-diabetic pregnant women during treatment.

The purpose of this study is to employ continuous glucose monitoring to measure glucose profiles in newborn infants.