Birth weight and its relation with medical nutrition therapy in gestational diabetes

Purpose

The cornerstone in treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is medical nutrition therapy (MNT), but the effect on birth weight is disputed. The birth weight was evaluated with respect to length of MNT and adherence to diet.

Methods

We performed a cohort study on 436 women with GDM and 254 non-diabetic women. Women with a normal oral glucose tolerance test were included as controls as they had similar background predisposition as the women with GDM. The GDM women were subdivided according to MNT and the nutritional status was further stratified according to adherence to the current dietary guidelines.

Results

Birth weight above 4 kg was more prevalent in the non-diabetic women compared to the diet-treated GDM women (27 vs. 18%, p = 0.012) but similar to the GDM women who had no MNT (24%). Lower birth weight was associated with longer duration of MNT (r = ?0.13, p = 0.021). The birth weight was 1.2 g lower per day of treatment.

Conclusions

Medical nutrition therapy was associated with reduction of the fetal weight in women with GDM and the weight decreases with length of treatment. Birth weight above 4 kg was as prominent in the non-diabetic women as in the women with GDM without MNT.