Maternal bronchial carcinoma and its possible relation to neonatal hypoglycaemia.

Introduction It is well known that pregnancy is associated with an increase in plasma cortisol and that especially in the third trimester the values attained resemble a state of adrenocortical hyperfunction (Kopelman & Levitz, 1970). It has also been shown that the concentration of cortisol in cord blood reflects the maternal state although it is less than the corresponding maternal values and is also influenced by neonatal adrenal activity. Following delivery, plasma cortisol levels in infants fall as the maternal contribution disappears from the circulation and values from 3 to 7 days following birth reflect endogenous neonatal adrenocortical activity. The predisposition of infants of prediabetic or frankly diabetic mothers to develop hypoglycaemia has also been well documented. This is presumed to be due to a temporary beta-cell hyperplasia induced in the foetal islets by the maternal hyperglycaemia. Limited observations made on such infantshave indicated that where normal sugar concentrations exist, cortisol concentration tends to be compensatorily elevated.