Question

Care of an Infant from Diabetic Mother

a. What complications does an infant face coming from a diabetic mother?

b. Why is the infant more likely to be hypoglycemia rather than hyperglycemic?

c. What signs and symptoms does an infant show with hypoglycemia?

d. How is hypoglycemia in an infant treated?

9. Meconium Aspiration Syndrome

a. What is meconium aspiration syndrome?

b. What are the complications for the infant?

c. How is meconium aspiration syndrome treated?

10. Hypertension During Pregnancy

a. What are the differences between pre-eclampsia and eclampsia?

b. What nursing care should be provided for mothers with pre-eclampsia?

c. What medications are used to treat pre-eclampsia? B

Answer 1

Care of an infant from Diabetic mother

a.Complications

• Miscarriage or still birth of the baby
• Hyperglycemia in future
• Cardiomyopathy ,elevated blood pressure or hypertension
• There will be decrease in iron .calcium, magnesium, oxygen content in blood
• Fetal macrosomia
• Thrombocytopenia

b.The infant is more likely to experience hypoglycemia due to hormonal changes happening during and after the birthing process. After birth the supply of glucose from the mother to baby is stopped, simultaneously incre as ing the insulin production in the baby leading to drop in blood glucose rather increasing it.

c.The signs and symptoms shown by an infant with low blood sugar level are

• There will drip in body temperature
• Infants will have difficulty in breathing due to low oxygen
• Lack of feeding
• Lethargic
• Cyanosis
• The muscle time will be poor
• The baby can be jittery
• The seizure attack can be observed in the newborn after birth

d.The hypoglycemia in the infants are treated by feeding the baby with glucose water if there is good sucking reflex or if baby sucks well

Administration of intravenous glucose is the best line of treatment if the newborn has any seizure episode because administration of oral glucose water can lead to aspiration.