Which statement about neonatal glucose levels is true?

• A. Glucose is typically normal at birth
• B. Glucose remains low for 24 hours
• C. Glucose is decreased 1 hour after birth and rises to normal by 2-3 hours
• D. Glucose is never low in healthy newborns

Answer: (C)

Newborns experience a rapid, temporary dip in glucose after birth because the placental glucose supply ends while the infant starts relying on stored glycogen and endogenous glucose production. Glucose is typically decreased about an hour after birth, then rises to normal by around 2–3 hours as liver glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis kick in. This pattern makes the statement that glucose is decreased 1 hour after birth and rises to normal by 2–3 hours the best match for healthy neonates. The other ideas don’t fit because there is indeed a brief early dip, it does not stay low for a full day, and healthy newborns can have a transient low glucose rather than never being low.