From the Research
Newborn babies typically have blood sugar levels between 40-60 mg/dL (2.2-3.3 mmol/L) immediately after birth, with levels stabilizing within 72 hours to 60-100 mg/dL (3.3-5.5 mmol/L), as reported in the most recent study 1.
Key Points
- Blood sugar levels in newborns can range between 1.4 mmol/L and 6.2 mmol/L in the first few hours of life, as noted in 2.
- The median glucose concentration in healthy newborns is around 58 mg/dL, with the first, third, and fifth percentiles being 34,39, and 41 mg/dL, respectively, according to 1.
- Blood sugar levels below 40 mg/dL (2.2 mmol/L) are considered hypoglycemic in newborns and require immediate attention.
- Monitoring is especially important for premature babies, those born to diabetic mothers, or infants who are small or large for gestational age, as they have higher risks of blood sugar abnormalities.
- Newborns naturally have lower blood sugar levels than adults because they're transitioning from receiving constant glucose through the placenta to managing their own glucose production and regulation.
Management and Prevention
- Early and frequent feeding, preferably breastfeeding within the first hour after birth, helps maintain appropriate blood sugar levels.
- If a newborn shows signs of low blood sugar such as jitteriness, poor feeding, lethargy, or irritability, medical evaluation is necessary as untreated hypoglycemia can lead to neurological complications.
- The use of glucagon for neonatal hypoglycemia is still being researched, with low certainty evidence suggesting it may increase blood glucose by approximately 2.3 mmol/L, but recurrent hypoglycemia appears common 3.
- The type of feeding provided with dextrose gel can impact hypoglycemia outcomes, with formula and donor milk feedings both raising blood sugar concentrations, but the impact differing by gestational age 4.