Neonatal Hypoglycemia Thresholds
Reference thresholds for neonatal glucose by postnatal age, with AAP 2011 and PES 2015 options.
Clinical disclaimer
Conversion: 1 mmol/L = 18 mg/dL.
How thresholds are defined
Neonatal glucose thresholds differ by guideline. The AAP 2011 clinical report uses age-specific operational thresholds for early transitional screening, while the PES 2015 guideline recommends higher target thresholds for high-risk infants and persistent hypoglycemia.
- Choose the guideline that matches your local practice.
- Interpret results in context of symptoms and feeding tolerance.
- Repeat checks and trend values after interventions.
Common age bands
- AAP 2011: 0-4 hours, 4-24 hours, and >24 hours.
- PES 2015: <48 hours and >=48 hours.
Thresholds are not diagnostic by themselves; they prompt monitoring and clinical evaluation.
Clinical notes
- Symptomatic infants require urgent evaluation regardless of numeric value.
- Confirm capillary values with plasma glucose if results are unexpected.
- Document timing relative to feeds, IV dextrose, or other interventions.
Related calculators
References
Frequently asked questions
Operational thresholds vary by guideline and infant age. The AAP 2011 report uses lower operational thresholds in the first 24 hours, while the PES 2015 guideline sets higher target thresholds for high-risk infants.
Use the AAP 2011 operational thresholds for early transitional screening or the PES 2015 targets for high-risk infants and persistent hypoglycemia. Follow local protocols.
No. Always consider symptoms, feeding tolerance, and perfusion. Symptomatic infants require urgent evaluation regardless of the numeric threshold.
Yes. The calculator accepts mg/dL or mmol/L and converts automatically using 1 mmol/L = 18 mg/dL.