Association between gestational abnormal glucose tolerance and maternal-fetal outcomes

J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2022 Oct;48(10):2505-2513. doi: 10.1111/jog.15350. Epub 2022 Jul 5.

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the relationship between abnormal glucose tolerance during pregnancy and maternal-fetal outcomes, after categorizing women into groups with different levels of gestational abnormal glucose tolerance.

Methods: A total of 1858 pregnant women who received two-step screening for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) at Fooyin University Hospital were categorized into four groups, according to their glucose abnormalities, and their maternal-fetal outcomes were investigated from October 2015 to June 2020.

Results: Among the groups having different levels of abnormal glucose tolerance, there were significant differences and trends in mother's age, currently married status, and prepregnancy overweight or obesity, incidences of cesarean section, preterm, and gestational hypertension or preeclampsia; and with respect to neonatal incidence of large for gestational age (LGA), average weight, and average height (p < 0.05). After adjusting for potential factors, there were higher incidences of cesarean section (AOR = 1.71; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12-2.61), preterm (AOR = 2.20; 95% CI: 1.23-3.91), neonatal LGA (AOR = 4.94; 95% CI: 2.87-8.51), and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission (AOR = 2.66; 95% CI: 1.14-6.24) in the GDM group, relative to the control group. Furthermore, the women in the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)-1 group had a higher incidence of neonatal LGA when compared with the women in the normal group (AOR = 2.31; 95% CI: 1.02-5.33).

Conclusions: We found higher incidences of cesarean section, preterm, and neonatal LGA and NICU admission in the GDM women, and a higher incidence of neonatal LGA in the OGTT-1 group, relative to control group.

Keywords: abnormal glucose tolerance; gestational diabetes mellitus; maternal outcomes; neonatal outcomes; oral glucose tolerance test.

MeSH terms

  • Blood Glucose
  • Cesarean Section
  • Diabetes, Gestational* / diagnosis
  • Female
  • Fetal Macrosomia / epidemiology
  • Glucose
  • Glucose Intolerance* / epidemiology
  • Glucose Tolerance Test
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infant, Newborn, Diseases*
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Outcome / epidemiology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Weight Gain

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Glucose