ALTERATIONS OF pH, GASES AND HEMOGLOBIN IN BLOOD AND ELECTROLYTES IN PLASMA OF FETUSES OF DIABETIC MOTHERS
The pregnant diabetic at or near term, in the absence of clinical metabolic disorder, ordinarily exhibits only minor differences from normal pregnant women in regard to pH, content of gases, and concentration of hemoglobin in blood and concentration of electrolytes in plasma. The diabetic in labor is likely to evidence signs of metabolic acidosis which is only partially compensated. The fetus of the diabetic, on the other hand, is frequently found to have marked changes in pH, pCO2 and oxygen saturation of the blood. There is a small decrease in total concentration of electrolytes, which is apparently related to dilution of the blood. Concentration of hemoglobin is slightly increased, but if dilution is taken into consideration, this probably represents a significant increase in total hemoglobin mass. The variability of several components of the blood is greater than in normal fetuses. The changes in pH and pCO2 are sufficient, in their effect on dissociation of oxyhemoglobin, to account for the mean decrease in saturation observed in the fetuses of diabetics without any change in pO2. The average fetus, therefore, cannot properly be said to be hypoxic. However, individual fetuses are observed with very marked reductions in oxygen saturation which undoubtedly reflect true hypoxia. Biochemical alterations in these fetuses are out of proportion to maternal changes but, once proper pulmonary ventilation is established, can be readily reversed. It appears from this that the lesion is likely to be placental rather than maternal or fetal. Biochemical deviations from normal in the present series are only irregularly related to neonatal difficulty. The two infants who died in the present study were the only prematures, and only one manifested severe and disproportional changes. The biochemical changes observed do not per se appear to be sufficient to account for the known neonatal difficulties of the infants of diabetic mothers, but, in aggravated form, might account for fetal death.