Postterm pregnancy: effects on temperature and glucose regulation

Abstract

Pregnancies that extend beyond 42 weeks of gestation have a higher risk for uteroplacental insufficiency than do pregnancies delivered prior to this time. Postterm infants are at risk for meconium aspiration due to uteroplacental insufficiency. Prior research has shown that postterm infants are at risk for temperature- and glucose-regulating difficulties following birth. In this study, the abilities of 63 postterm infants and 88 term infants to regulate temperature and glucose during the first 24 hours of infant age were compared. No significant differences were found in the two groups on the two variables.