HEMOGLOBIN F IN NEWBORN INFANTS OF DIABETIC MOTHERS

Abstract

ABSTRACT The relative concentration of hemoglobin F was determined by use of agar gel electrophoresis in the cord blood from 38 infants of diabetic mothers and 94 infants with non-diabetic mothers. The relative concentration of hemoglobin F was found to be negatively correlated to the gestational age of the infants. In infants of diabetic mothers the concentration was insignificantly higher than would be expected from their gestational age, and comparable to that of infants of non-diabetic mothers of about 2 weeks lower gestational age. In the diabetes group hemoglobin F was correlated neither to the increased birth weight of the infants nor to the severity of the maternal diabetes.