Which newborns are at an increased risk of experiencing hypoglycemia?

Newborns who are preterm and those who are small-for-gestational-age are at an increased risk of experiencing hypoglycemia due to several physiological considerations.

Preterm infants often have immature hepatic glycogen stores and insufficient gluconeogenesis ability, which makes them less capable of maintaining stable blood glucose levels postnatally. Additionally, their early birth may disrupt normal growth patterns and metabolic processes that are critical for glucose regulation.

Small-for-gestational-age infants, who are typically born to mothers with inadequate nutrition or placental insufficiency, may also have depleted glycogen stores and can struggle to maintain adequate blood glucose levels. Their smaller size and lower glycogen reserves lead to a higher susceptibility to low blood sugar.

Thus, both preterm infants and small-for-gestational-age infants share the common risk factors that contribute to hypoglycemia, making the combination of these two groups the most significant risk factor when assessing newborns for hypoglycemia.