Skip to content
2000
image of Effectiveness of Maternal Oral Glucose Intake in Improving Blood Glucose Levels in Hypoglycemic Neonates: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Introduction

Neonatal hypoglycemia, a common metabolic condition requiring prompt recognition, timely intervention, and careful monitoring to prevent adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, can be effectively treated with glucose intake through breast milk, a simple and cost-effective approach. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of oral glucose intake by nursing mothers in increasing blood glucose levels in hypoglycemic newborns.

Methods

A parallel-group randomized control trial was conducted from July to August 2023 with 60 postnatal mothers and their newborns admitted to a government hospital in Punjab, India. Participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental or the control group using the concealed envelope method. Mothers in the experimental group received 35 g of oral glucose mixed with 200 ml of water once daily, whereas those in the control group received standard treatment. The outcome was assessed by measuring newborns' random blood glucose levels six hours post-intervention. The outcome assessors were blinded to the interventions. The study adhered to CONSORT guidelines, and statistical analysis was performed using mean, median, frequency, percentage, Chi-square, One-way ANOVA, and t-test.

Results

The post-intervention mean ± SD random blood glucose levels were 61.77 ± 7.238 in the experimental group and 53.80 ± 5.081 in the control group, showing a statistically significant difference ( ≤0.001).

Discussion

The results align with emerging evidence on maternal dietary influence on breast milk composition and neonatal health. However, limitations such as the small sample size and short-term outcome assessment necessitate further research to confirm and expand upon these findings.

Conclusion

Oral glucose intake by lactating mothers significantly increased newborn blood glucose levels, demonstrating its effectiveness as a simple, noninvasive, and cost-effective intervention for neonatal hypoglycemia.

Clinical Trial Registration Number

CTRI -REF/2023/05/066900.

© 2025 Bentham Science Publishers
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/rrct/10.2174/0115748871393641250908074928
2025-09-25
2025-12-15

  • From This Site

    /content/journals/rrct/10.2174/0115748871393641250908074928
    dcterms_title,dcterms_subject,pub_keyword
    -contentType:Contributor -contentType:Concept -contentType:Institution
    10
    5
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Deriba B.S. Bulto G.A. Bala E.T. Nutritional-related predictors of anemia among pregnant women attending antenatal care in central Ethiopia: an unmatched case-control study. BioMed Res. Int. 2020 2020 8824291 10.1155/2020/8824291
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Harding J.E. Alsweiler J.M. Edwards T.E. McKinlay C.J.D. Neonatal hypoglycaemia. BMJ Med. 2024 3 1 000544 10.1136/bmjmed‑2023‑000544 38618170
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Akpinar-Elci M Hoch M Olayinka O Neonatal hypoglycemia in diabetic mothers: A systematic review. 2017 Available from:https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/commhealth_fac_pubs/25www.currentpediatrics.com
  4. Pillai S.K. Fhausiya V.K. A cross-sectional study on the frequency and risk factors for neonatal hypoglycemia in babies born in rural Kerala. J. Family Med. Prim. Care 2022 11 11 6949 6954 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_439_22 36993101
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Mitchell N.A. Grimbly C. Rosolowsky E.T. Incidence and risk factors for hypoglycemia during fetal-to-neonatal transition in premature infants. Front Pediatr. 2020 8 34 10.3389/fped.2020.00034 32117839
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Pastukhova Y. Luzza F. Shevel S. Changes in metabolic parameters in patients with diabetic kidney disease depending on the status of D3. Rev. Recent Clin. Trials 2022 17 4 280 290 10.2174/1574887117666220321152855 35319388
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Kobyliak N. Abenavoli L. Falalyeyeva T. Kovalchuk O. Kyriienko D. Komisarenko I. Metabolic benefits of probiotic combination with absorbent smectite in type 2 diabetes patients a randomised controlled trial. Rev. Recent Clin. Trials 2021 16 1 109 119 10.2174/18761038MTA4lMDEt2 32646362
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Roeper M. Hoermann H. Körner L.M. Transitional neonatal hypoglycemia and adverse neurodevelopment in midchildhood. JAMA Netw. Open 2024 7 3 243683 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.3683 38530314
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Garg M. Devaskar S.U. Exploring the long-term impacts of neonatal hypoglycemia to determine a safe threshold for glucose concentrations. Eur. J. Pediatr. 2025 184 4 263 10.1007/s00431‑025‑06082‑z 40119223
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Palmaccio S.J. Rodriguez A.L. Drago M.J. Mercurio M.R. An evidence-based ethical approach to parental refusal of screening tests: the case of asymptomatic neonatal hypoglycemia. J. Pediatr. 2021 229 278 282 10.1016/j.jpeds.2020.09.012 32950534
    [Google Scholar]
  11. Edwards T. Harding J.E. Clinical aspects of neonatal hypoglycemia: a mini review. Front Pediatr. 2021 8 562251 10.3389/fped.2020.562251 33489995
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Giouleka S. Gkiouleka M. Tsakiridis I. Diagnosis and management of neonatal hypoglycemia: a comprehensive review of guidelines. Children 2023 10 7 1220 10.3390/children10071220 37508719
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Zucchini S. Tumini S. Scaramuzza A.E. Recommendations for recognizing, risk stratifying, treating, and managing children and adolescents with hypoglycemia. Front. Endocrinol. 2024 15 1387537 10.3389/fendo.2024.1387537 38894740
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Voormolen D.N. de Wit L. van Rijn B.B. Neonatal hypoglycemia following diet-controlled and insulin-treated gestational diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Care 2018 41 7 1385 1390 10.2337/dc18‑0048 29654142
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Rani K. Ravi R.K. Attri V. Kaur H. Pareek B. Baby P. Impact of upright position during the first stage of labour on maternal outcomes: a randomized controlled trial. Rev. Recent Clin. Trials 2025 20 1 52 58 10.2174/0115748871320194240820202103 39234912
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Nivins S. Kennedy E. Thompson B. Associations between neonatal hypoglycaemia and brain volumes, cortical thickness and white matter microstructure in mid-childhood: An MRI study. Neuroimage Clin. 2022 33 102943 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.102943 35063925
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Tamborowski M. Ghelfi-Dufournet S. Terrier L. Gillois P. Di Marco L. Analysis of screening for neonatal hypoglycemia in “large-for-gestational-age” newborns without risk factors, and proposed changes in practice at Grenoble University Hospital. Eur J Midwifery 2023 7 December 39 10.18332/ejm/174489 38075382
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Stomnaroska-Damcevski O. Petkovska E. Jancevska S. Danilovski D. Neonatal hypoglycemia: a continuing debate in definition and management. Prilozi Maced Akad Nauki Umetn Odd Med Nauki 2015 36 3 91 97 10.1515/prilozi‑2015‑0083
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Pathania S. Ravi R.K. Kaur M. Thakur V. Kaushal S. Hamid S.F. Effect of green tea supplementation on blood pressure among hypertensive people: a community-based randomized control trial. New Emirates Med J 2024 5 7 10.2174/0102506882323561241017061804
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Ebrahim Valojerdi A. Tanha K. Janani L. Important considerations in calculating and reporting of sample size in randomized controlled trials. Med. J. Islam. Repub. Iran 2017 31 1 843 846 10.14196/mjiri.31.127 29951427
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Morowitz M.J. Katheria A.C. Polin R.A. The NICU antibiotics and outcomes (NANO) trial: a randomized multicenter clinical trial assessing empiric antibiotics and clinical outcomes in newborn preterm infants. Trials 2022 23 1 428 10.1186/s13063‑022‑06352‑3 35606829
    [Google Scholar]
  22. Popovic M. Regression discontinuity design in perinatal epidemiology and birth cohort research arXiv:220811047 2022 10.3389/fpubh.2024.137745
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Edwards T. Liu G. Battin M. Oral dextrose gel for the treatment of hypoglycaemia in newborn infants. Cochrane Database Syst. Rev. 2022 3 3 CD011027 [PMID: 35302645].
    [Google Scholar]
  24. Batra M. Ikeri K. Blake M. Mantell G. Bhat R. Zayek M. Oral dextrose gel for hypoglycemia in a well-baby nursery: a baby-friendly initiative. J. Perinatol. 2024 1 6 10.1038/s41372‑024‑02114‑y 39271918
    [Google Scholar]
  25. Edwards T. Liu G. Hegarty J.E. Crowther C.A. Alsweiler J. Harding J.E. Oral dextrose gel to prevent hypoglycaemia in at-risk neonates. Cochrane Database Syst. Rev. 2021 5 5 CD012152 [PMID: 33998668].
    [Google Scholar]
  26. Devarapalli V. Niven M. Canonigo J. Prophylactic dextrose gel use in newborns at risk for hypoglycemia. J. Perinatol. 2024 44 11 1640 1646 10.1038/s41372‑024‑02133‑9 39363038
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Newnam K.M. Bunch M. Glucose Gel as a Treatment Strategy for Transient Neonatal Hypoglycemia. Adv. Neonatal Care 2017 17 6 470 477 10.1097/ANC.0000000000000426 28857766
    [Google Scholar]
  28. Meneghin F. Manzalini M. Acunzo M. Management of asymptomatic hypoglycemia with 40% oral dextrose gel in near term at-risk infants to reduce intensive care need and promote breastfeeding. Ital. J. Pediatr. 2021 47 1 201 10.1186/s13052‑021‑01149‑7 34627324
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Oladimeji O.I. Harding J.E. Crowther C.A. Lin L. Expressed breast milk and maternal expression of breast milk for the prevention and treatment of neonatal hypoglycemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Matern. Health Neonatol. Perinatol. 2023 9 1 12 10.1186/s40748‑023‑00166‑0 37807052
    [Google Scholar]
  30. Roberts L.F. Harding J.E. Crowther C.A. Watson E. Wang Z. Lin L. Early feeding for the prevention of neonatal hypoglycaemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Neonatology 2024 121 2 141 156 10.1159/000535503 38194933
    [Google Scholar]
  31. Nguyen P.H. Scott S. Avula R. Tran L.M. Menon P. Trends and drivers of change in the prevalence of anaemia among 1 million women and children in India, 2006 to 2016. BMJ Glob. Health 2018 3 5 001010 10.1136/bmjgh‑2018‑001010 30397516
    [Google Scholar]
  32. Surachaidungtavil S. Chanvorachote P. Suksumek N. A randomized control trial of oral sucrose solution for prevention of hypoglycemia in high risk infants. In Vivo 2020 34 3 1493 1497
    [Google Scholar]
  33. Madavi D. Joshi M.L. Suryawanshi M. Tirpude B. Study of risk factors and outcome of hypoglycemia in neonates admitted in NICU of a tertiary care hospital in central India. 2023 Available from: https://www.currentpediatrics.com/articles/abstract/study-of-risk-factors-and-outcome-of-hypoglycemia-in-neonates-admitted-in--nicu-of-a-tertiary-care-hospital-in-central-india-27469.html
/content/journals/rrct/10.2174/0115748871393641250908074928
Loading
Effectiveness of Maternal Oral Glucose Intake in Improving Blood Glucose Levels in Hypoglycemic Neonates: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Bentham Science Publishers ; https://doi.org/10.2174/0115748871393641250908074928
/content/journals/rrct/10.2174/0115748871393641250908074928
/content/journals/rrct/10.2174/0115748871393641250908074928
Loading

Data & Media loading...


  • Article Type:     Research Article
Keywords: newborns ; hypoglycemic ; Blood glucose ; oral glucose ; cost effective ; women ; lactating mothers ; maternal nutrition ; randomized controled trials

Most Cited Most Cited RSS feed

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error
Please enter a valid_number test