[ Hypoxia of the fetus and neonate of a diabetic mother. Importance of hemorheologic anomalies].

Death in utero (or immediately following birth) of children of diabetic mothers remains rather mysterious. Next to abnormalities of carbohydrates metabolism, hypoxia appears to be a determining factor of the frailty of children of diabetic mothers. Now, the so called "hemorheologic" alterations, which means the difficulties derived from the blood discharge by increased viscosity, represent a cause of hypoxia as well as an aggravating factor of hypoxia. This study demonstrates the abnormalities of blood viscosity in diabetic patients, which, in association with hypercoagulability, aggravate fetal anoxia.