On December 19 ,20 and 21 1979, we had the opportunlty to organize a Workshop on "Antenatal factors affecting meta­ bolic adaptation to extrauterine life - Role of carbohydra­ tes and energy metabolism".

Session I : Carbohydrate Utilization in the Newborn.- The metabolism of glycogen in the liver of foetal and new-born rats.- Hormonal control of fetal liver glycogen metabolism.- Extrahepatic glycogen stores and their role in homeostasis.- Factors regulating blood glucose in the fetus and in the newborn.- Glucose turnover in the newborn rat.- Factors affecting intra uterine glycogen storage.- Factors affecting glucose metabolism in the newborn rat.- Carbohydrate metabolism in intrauterine growth retardation.- Discussion: Britton, Jones, Minkowski, Hull, Milner.- Session II : Energy Expenditure.- Caloric needs of the newborn..- Variations in the rate of oxygen consumption of newborn human infants.- Energy requirements for growth in the neonate.- The role of oleic acid as a substitute for glucose in brain cell cultures of neonatal mice.- Discussion: Britton, Hull, Girard, Bossi, Helge, Verellen, Minkowski.- Session III: Regulation of Insulin and Glucagon Secretion.- Insulin secretion and metabolism in the rat fetus during late gestation.- Glucagon secretion during the perinatal period.- Plasma insulin and glucagon in well-oxygenated and hypoxic fetal lambs.- Effects of insulin and glucagon on the mother and in the fetus.- Plasma corticosteroids in normal, premature and “small-for-dates” newborn infants throughout the neonatal period.- Somatomedin A activity in newborns.- Session IV: Practical Implications and General Discussion.- Effect of maternal diabetes on glucose regulation in the newborn.- Oral feeding recommendations in full-term and premature newborns.- Discussion: Eggermont, Salle, Teller, Shelley, De Meyer, Van Assche, Senterre, Verellen.- Summary, general discussion and some matters of thinking.