Fetal and Neonatal Habituation in Infants of Diabetic Mothers

Objective To evaluate whether maternal diabetes alters the habituation ability of fetuses and newborns. Study design Two nonrandomized clinical trials were performed. First, we studied prenatal fetuses of women with pregestational diabetes, and control subjects matched for gestational, age, mid then we studied infants of diabetic mothers (IDM) and control subjects matched for gestational age and mode of delivery. Fetus mid newborns were stimulated with vibroacoustic stimulus. Results In fetuses of diabetic mothers, the ability to habituate was lower, and the habituation rate was higher than in control subjects to all habituation tests. In the neonatal period, ability to habituate was lower (59% vs 100%; P < .001.), and the habituation rate was higher (18 [14-21] vs 4 [1.2-6.8]; P < .001) in the IDM than in the control infants. We found a significant negative correlation between maternal glycosylated hemoglobin in each trimester of pregnancy and habituation ability in IDM. Conclusions Fetuses and infants of diabetic mothers have impaired habituation ability, which is related to the degree of maternal metabolic control. (J Pediatr 2009;154.492-7)