Impaired Epinephrine Release in Hypoglycemic Infants of Diabetic Mothers

CARBOHYDRATE homeostasis represents a complex interaction between multiple humoral agents. In the normal person a fall in blood sugar initiates physiologic responses that reduce the blood sugar to normal levels. As part of this total response to a fall in blood sugar, the normal newborn infant,1 like the adult, responds by releasing epinephrine.In infants of diabetic mothers the blood sugar falls abruptly in the hours immediately after birth.2 This reduction is related in part to elevated levels of insulin.3 , 4 However, the homeostatic responses in these infants appear to be inadequate to compensate for the fall in blood sugar that . . .