Question

A nurse who is teaching a prenatal class is asked why infants of mothers with diabetes (IDM) are larger than those who do not have diabetes. On what information about pregnant women with diabetes should the nurse base the response?

1. Taking exogenous insulin stimulates fetal growth

2. Consuming more calories covers the insulin secreted by the fetus

3. Extra circulating glucose causes the fetus to acquire fatty deposits

4. Fetal weight gain increases due to the common response of maternal overeating (Nugent 324)
Nugent, Patricia M. Mosby's Review Questions for the NCLEX-RN® Examination, 7th Edition. Mosby, 2011. VitalBook file.

Answer 1

IDMs are larger due to extra circulating glucose from the mother, which crosses the placenta, causing the fetus to secrete more insulin resulting in growth and fatty deposits.

Step-by-step explanation:

Infants of mothers with diabetes (IDM) are often larger because of the extra circulating glucose in the mother's bloodstream. This excess glucose crosses the placenta to the fetus, leading to increased insulin secretion by the fetal pancreas, which in turn stimulates fetal growth and the accumulation of fatty deposits.

This process is known as pediatric hyperinsulinism and is typically seen in cases where the mother has uncontrolled diabetes or hyperglycemia during the pregnancy.

Excessive fetal growth can be associated with birth complications, and these infants may have a higher risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes in later life.