Hyperplasia Infants of diabetic mothers show a 5% to 10% incidence of major developmental abnormalities, including anomalies of the hea and great vessels and neural tube defects. During fetal development, the islet cells of the pancreas have the proliferative capacity and respond to increased demand for insulin by undergoing physiologic hyperplasia. Fetus may develop hyperplasia of the pancreatic b cells, which may secrete insulin autonomously and cause hypoglycemia at bih. -Metaplasia (choice D) is defined as the conversion of one differentiated cell pathway to another. Diagnosis: Diabetes mellitus