Alcohol embryopathy and diabetic fetopathy in the same newborn
Majewski, F.; Nothjunge, J.; Bierich, J.R.
Helvetica Paediatrica Acta 34(2): 135-139
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0018-022X PMID: 457429 Document Number: 152547
Alcohol embryopathy and diabetic foetopathy were observed in the same female child. The mother was known to be alcoholic and diabetic. At birth the signs of diabetic foetopathy predominated: the child showed oedematous subcutaneous fat, birthweight was 3650 g. The heart was enlarged. The patient's blood sugar ranged from 0 to 1.4 mmol/litre (0 to 25 mg/100 ml). Features of alcohol embryopathy were typical craniofacial dysmorphy, hypotonia of muscles and hyperexcitability. Later on the features of alcohol embryopathy predominated: the child became dystrophic with pronounced microcephaly and the craniofacial dysmorphy clearly resembled other patients with alcohol embryopathy. This observation is in favour of the hypothesis, that alcohol induces cell hypoplasia in the embryo resulting in postnatal growth retardation. Maternal and consequently embryonic and foetal hyperglycaemia induced cell hypertrophy in the embryo and foetus, which compensated the effect of alcohol on birthweight in the patient.