Objective: We sought to investigate whether uric acid concentrations are increased in pregnant women with insulin resistance and to correlate both with fetal growth.
Study design: Uric acid, glucose, and insulin were measured in plasma at 20.4 (+/-2.0) weeks' gestation in 263 women. The association between uric acid and insulin resistance, as estimated using the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA), was analyzed and related to birthweights.
Results: In 212 (80.6%) women who remained normotensive throughout pregnancy, HOMA increased 1.23 U per 1-mg/dL increase in uric acid (95% confidence interval, 1.07-1.42; P=.003). Infants born to normotensive women in the upper quartile of uric acid and lowest HOMA quartile weighed 435.6 g less than infants of women with highest uric acid and HOMA quartiles (P<.005).
Conclusion: Increasing uric acid concentrations were associated with insulin resistance in midpregnancy. Hyperuricemia was associated with lower birthweight in normotensive women, and this effect was attenuated by insulin resistance.