Disorders in Glucidic Metabolism and Congenital Heart Diseases: Detection and Prevention

The identification of gestational diabetes (GDM) through appropriate screening and its subsequent treatment have not been demonstrated to limit neonatal malformations to date. This study aimed to detect congenital heart diseases in newborns of mothers with GDM by evaluating the existence of a correlation with maternal glycemic control. This observational prospective study investigated newborns of mothers with GDM enrolled during a period of 9 months. Four subgroups were considered according to the type of maternal glucidic alteration during pregnancy and the home treatment: impaired glucose tolerance, insulin-dependent gestational diabetes mellitus (IDDM), non-insulin-dependent gestational diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), and gestational diabetes not controlled (NC: untreated diabetes). Student’s t test was used to compare the subgroups. The study enrolled 65 newborns (30 boys) born to 82 of mothers with impaired glucidic metabolism. Patent ductus arteriosus was observed in 11 patients (16.9 %), pulmonary stenosis of mild grade in 4 patients ( 6.2 %), and hypertrophy of the ventricular septum in 22 patients (33.8 %). A total of 14 patients had increased thickness in the left ventricle posterior wall, and 17 patients had an abnormal electrocardiogram. Hyperglycemia can influence the development of the fetal heart, affecting both its structure and its function. A treatment with insulin for women with GDM is supported by the study data.     

Cardiac Malformations in Fetuses of Gestational and Pre Gestational Diabetic Mothers

Objective

In this study we aimed to determine the prevalence of cardiac malformations in fetuses of Iranian diabetic mothers with pre-gestational and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and to find the patterns of different cardiac malformations.

Methods

One-hundred and seventy diabetic pregnant women (68 preGDM and 102 GDM) (mean age: 32.17±4.8 years) and 85 healthy controls (mean age: 31.35±4.55 years) were recruited from September 2008 to July 2012. Fetal echocardiography was performed to assess cardiac malformation. In order to study major factors that may affect the results, a complete history was obtained.

Findings

Fetal echocardiography was performed at mean gestational age of 24.7±5.4 and 20.27±3.9 weeks in diabetic patients and control group, respectively. Fifteen (8.8%) fetuses of diabetic mothers were detected to have cardiac malformations compared with 1 (1.17%) fetus in control group (OR: 8.13, 95%CI: 1.1-62.61, P-value=0.02). Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy noted as the most common cardiac malformation occurred in 6 out of 15 (40%) fetuses, and was found significantly more common in pre-GDM compared to GDM group (7.4% vs 1%, P-value =0.04). Despite the higher incidence of cardiac malformation in pre-GDM compared to GDM group, the difference was not significant. Further, no significant association was observed between the variables including; parity, diabetic regimen, parents’ consanguinity, maternal history of hypertension or hypothyroidism and occurring cardiac malformations (P-value>0.05).

Conclusion

In this study we detected cardiac malformations in 8.8% of our diabetic referrals. The result of the present study shows that screening diabetic mothers for fetal cardiac malformations could be beneficial.     

Pregnancy outcomes in women after bariatric surgery compared with obese and morbidly obese controls

Pre-pregnancy obesity has become an increasing problem among women of reproductive age, and has been associated with increased rates of gestational diabetes (due to insulin resistance), pre-eclampsia, as well as adverse perinatal outcomes and co-morbidities in case of pregnancy.In this retrospective study, the authors investigate the rates of gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorder of pregnancy in 70 women who had a singleton pregnancy after bariatric surgery. Four pregnant control

Comments

When reading the current literature on pregnancy after bariatric surgery, one should keep in mind this literature is limited primarily by (1) small numbers, reported in retrospective studies and thus lack of power to detect significant differences in outcomes, (2) heterogeneous control groups, and (3) sources of bias (e.g. surveys conducted on patients whose pregnancies occurred several years prior, different types of bariatric surgery). These methodological weaknesses may lead to an

     

Gestational diabetes and preeclampsia – Similar risk factor profiles?

Background

Gestational diabetes and preeclampsia are leading causes of complications during pregnancy.

Aims

The aims of this study were to quantify the probability that both diseases occur together, to evaluate commonality of risk factor profiles, and to clarify the connection between gestational diabetes and preeclampsia in combination with the maternal body mass index.

Study design

We analysed data of the German Perinatal Quality Registry 2006, an annual full inventory of all hospital births in Germany.

Subjects

The Registry contains the complete national birth cohort of 668,085 newborn infants and 647,392 mothers from 896 German obstetric clinics.

Outcome measures

Each case of gestational diabetes or preeclampsia that was identified during pregnancy by a gynaecologist or in the hospital was fully registered.

Results

The prevalence of GDM was 2.32% and that of PE was 2.31%, resulting in 0.09% of all pregnant women being diagnosed with both diseases. GDM was found to be an independent risk factor for PE. Increased maternal age, nulliparity, and multiple gestation pregnancies could be identified as common risk factors for both diseases, while increased pre-pregnancy body mass index was found to be the most important predictor for both diseases.

Conclusions

As PE and GDM share similar risk factors, identification of high-risk groups by simultaneous screening methods seems to be reasonable for prevention of complications. Further studies will be needed to investigate possible pathophysiological pathways increased body mass index has on the induction of both diseases.     

Father's weight could contribute to large babies in overweight and obese mothers with and without gestational diabetes

We evaluated whether there was an association between fathers’ nutritional status and children's birth weight (BW) considering weight-matched mothers with and without gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). In total, 86 trios of women, infants, and fathers were evaluated. BW was not different between the groups of obese and non-obese parents, frequency of maternal obesity, or GDM. The percentage of infants who were large for gestational age (LGA) was 25% in the obese group and 14% in the non-obese group (p = 0.44). There was a borderline significance for higher body mass index (p = 0.09) of the father in the LGA group compared with the adequate for gestational age group. These results corroborate the hypothesis that the father's weight can also be relevant for the occurrence of LGA.     

Gestational diabetes and offspring body disproportion

Aim:  It has been demonstrated that females born large for gestational age (LGA) in weight but not length are at increased risk of being obese at childbearing age. We addressed the question whether women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at increased risk of giving birth to such infants.
Methods:  Birth characteristics of 884 267 infants of non-diabetic mothers and 7817 of mothers with GDM were analysed. LGA was defined as birth weight or birth length >2 standard deviation scores for gestational age. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed.
Results:  The odds ratio (OR) for a woman with GDM to give birth to an LGA infant that was heavy alone was four times increased (OR: 3.71, 95% CI: 3.41–4.04). Furthermore, in the population of mothers giving birth to LGA infants, the proportion heavy alone was 68% in the group of women with GDM compared with 64.4% in the group of non-diabetic women. The risks were independent of gender of the foetus.
Conclusion:  Women with GDM have an almost four times higher risk of delivering an LGA infant that is heavy alone. The noted disproportion between weight and length in infants of such mothers may have an impact on the risk of later obesity.     

Level of maternal triglycerides is a predictor of fetal macrosomia in non-obese pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus

Background

The role of maternal serum triglycerides (TGs) in the development of fetal macrosomia in different subgroups of body mass index (BMI) has received little attention. The aim of this study was to determine the association between the level of maternal TGs and fetal macrosomia in Iranian pregnant women of different BMI subgroups with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Ten-year Experience of Insulin Treatment in Gestational Diabetes

ABSTRACT. Between 1975–1984, 119 women with gestational diabetes (GDM) were treated with insulin in Uppsala, representing a mean yearly incidence of 4.5/1000 pregnancies. Women with GDM were older and more obese than the general pregnant population. Insulin treatment was instituted during a 5–7 day stay in hospital. The mean total daily dose of insulin prepartum, when fasting blood glucose had been normalized, was 53 (SD ± 25) units (34 ± 15 units of rapid-acting and 20 ± 11 units of medium-acting insulin), divided into two doses daily. Mean duration of treatment was 6.4 weeks. The perinatal mortality was 0.8%, compared with 7.4 % in previous pregnancies in the same women. The perinatal morbidity was generally mild and included hypoglycaemia (10.9 %), hyperbilirubinaemia requiring treatment (2.5 %), shoulder dystocia (2.5 %) and one case of mild respiratory distress syndrome. The rate of macrosomia was reduced in the present pregnancies compared with previous ones in the women with GDM, but not abolished completely, probably because of too short a duration of improved metabolic control. Spontaneous delivery was favoured and the rate of Caesarean section was 13.596. Thus, treatment with high doses of insulin in an unselected group of women with GDM is feasible. Normal perinatal mortality, reduced macrosomia, and no gross perinatal morbidity was found in the infants. Though the extent to which insulin treatment per se contributed to the favourable outcome is difficult to assess, it is suggested that the case for a high level of ambition for metabolic normalization in GDM should be a subject of further study.     

Maternal nutritional status, diabetes and risk of macrosomia among Native Canadian women

Multivariate methods were used to identify risk factors for macrosomia (birth weight >4000 g) among 741 singleton births to Native Canadian women from Sioux Lookout Zone, Ontario, Canada, in 1990–1993. The average birth weight was 3691±577 g, and 29.2% of infants weighed more than 4000 g at birth. Macrosomic infants were born at later gestational ages and were more likely to be male. Women delivering macrosomic infants were taller, entered pregnancy with higher body mass indexes (BMI) and gained more weight during pregnancy, but were less likely to smoke cigarettes. They were more likely to have previously delivered a macrosomic infant and to have had gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Risk of macrosomia was associated with maternal glycemic status; women with pre-existing diabetes were at greatest risk, followed by those with GDM A₂ (fasting glucose ≥6 mmol/l). Women with GDM A₁ (fasting glucose <6 mmol/l) were not at increased risk for delivering a macrosomic infant, but glucose-tolerant women with high glucose concentrations 1 h after the 50 g challenge were at somewhat increased risk. Maternal glycemic status and maternal nutritional status before and during pregnancy are important determinants of macrosomia in this native population.     

Association between maternal pre-existing or gestational diabetes and health problems in children

There is general consensus that children of women with pre-existing diabetes mellitus (PDM) have an increased risk of malformations and neurodevelopmental problems. Whether this is also true for children of women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a matter of debate. This study investigated inpatient hospital care up to 10 y of age of children born to GDM and PDM women as a rough estimate of child morbidity. Hospital care of children born to 82 684 GDM women, 3874 PDM women and 1213957 controls was compared by linking the Swedish Medical Birth Registry with the Hospital Discharge Registry. Similar comparisons were performed in a local well-controlled group of 326 children born to GDM women in the Lund area. Children of PDM women and to a lesser degree children of GDM women had a statistically significant increase in hospitalizations, evident at least up to 10 y of age. Significantly increased risks of hospitalization were found for neurological/developmental disorders [odds ratio (OR) 2.30 and 1.36 for PDM and GDM, respectively)], malformations (OR 2.05 and 1.23), infections (OR 1.56 and 1.20) and accidents (OR 1.32 and 1.14). Conclusion: The high hospitalization rates of these children indicate an increased morbidity, including neurodevelopmental disorders.     

Gestational diabetes mellitus and glucose intolerance among Mexican pregnant adolescents

There is an increasing incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) among adolescents (especially females), and the serum glucose concentrations in pregnant women <25 years during a 3-h oral glucose tolerance test (3-h OGTT) seem to be lower than those of pregnant women >25 years. Among 115 Mexican pregnant adolescents (<18 years) we analyzed their serum glucose concentrations during: a) 1-h 50-g glucose challenge test (GCT) performed at 24-28 weeks of gestation (n = 103) or at 29-35 weeks of gestation (n = 12); b) A standard 3-h OGTT performed 3-5 days later. Eight adolescents had an abnormal GCT, three of whom also had an abnormal 3-h OGTT. Sixteen adolescents (13 with previously normal GCT) had an abnormal 3-h OGTT, 15 classified as GGI and one as gestational DM (GDM). Serum glucose concentrations in adolescents with GGI were higher than in adolescents with normal 3-h OGTT: a) at 60 and 120 min during the 3-h OGTT (p < 0.001); and b) when expressed as the area under the glucose curve (p < 0.001). Adolescents with GGI had serum glucose concentrations during the 3-h OGTT similar to adult, non-diabetic pregnant Mexican women. It is suggested that GGI in pregnant adolescents may represent an early sign of a future deterioration in glucose metabolism, leading to a higher risk for GDM in future pregnancies and/or type 2 DM in adulthood. Thus, the current criteria to diagnose GDM in adults may not completely apply to adolescents, especially in ethnic groups with high risk for glucose abnormalities and considering the frequency of multiparous adolescents, especially in developing countries.     

Accelerated starvation in pregnancy: implications for dietary treatment of obesity and gestational diabetes mellitus

The biological significance of ketonemia of brief duration and moderate proportions during pregnancy remains uncertain. Thus, controversy persists about whether caloric restriction for obese women during pregnancy, particularly when the obesity is complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), constitutes appropriate therapy. We have demonstrated, in a rigorously controlled setting using a Clinical Research Center, that all of the features of 'accelerated starvation' become manifest after 14 h and before 18 h of dietary deprivation. Women with GDM exhibit the same capacity for early 'accelerated starvation' as in normal pregnancy; thus, their insulin deficiency and insulin resistance do not appear to be sufficient to render them increasedly at risk for uncontrolled catabolism. Some cautious exploration of the use of hypocaloric diets as a therapeutic approach to the metabolic disturbances of GDM may be justified.     

Fetal and maternal factors associated with neonatal adiposity as measured by air displacement plethysmography: A large cross-sectional study

Background

There is evidence that the fetal and early postnatal environments play a role in determining the risk of lifetime obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Neonatal body composition, as a surrogate marker of the in-utero environment, can be reliably and accurately measured by air displacement plethysmography (ADP). Our primary objective was to identify preconception, fetal and maternal factors affecting neonatal body composition.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 599 term babies born between September and October 2010 at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia. Neonatal body fat percentage (BF%) was measured within 48 h of birth using ADP. Maternal demographic, anthropometric and medical data as well as neonatal gestational age and sex were used to develop a regression model that predicted body composition and birthweight.

Results

The mean (SD) neonatal BF% in our whole population was 9.2(4.4)%. Significant variables in the model for neonatal BF% were neonatal sex, gestational age, maternal ethnicity, gestational weight gain (GWG), pre-pregnancy BMI, parity and maternal hypertension (p < 0.05); together, these explained 19% of the variation in BF%. GDM status was not a significant variable. Neonatal female sex, maternal Caucasian ethnicity and increased gestational weight gain explained the most variation and were most strongly associated with increased BF%.

Conclusions

This study highlights maternal obesity and increased gestational weight gain as two factors that are amenable to intervention as risk factors for newborn adiposity, which is important in the future study of the “developmental origins of health and disease” hypothesis.     

Elevated iron status and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

The aim of this systematic review and meta‐analysis of observational studies was to assess the relationship between elevated iron status, measured as hemoglobin and ferritin levels, and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The present study was recorded in PROSPERO (2013:CRD42013005717). The selected studies were identified through a systematic review of scientific literature published in The Cochrane Library and PubMed/MEDLINE databases from their inception until March 10, 2016, in addition to citation tracking and hand‐searches. The search strategy of original articles combined several terms for hemoglobin, ferritin, pregnancy, and GDM. OR and 95% CI of the selected studies were used to identify associations between hemoglobin and/or ferritin levels with the risk of GDM. Summary estimates were calculated by combining inverse‐variance using fixed‐effects model. 2468 abstracts were initially found during the search. Of these, 11 with hemoglobin and/or ferritin data were selected for the meta‐analyses. We observed that high hemoglobin (OR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.23–1.88), as well as ferritin (OR = 2.09; 95% CI: 1.48–2.96) levels were linked to an increased risk of GDM. Low heterogeneity was observed in hemoglobin (I² = 33.3%, P = 0.151) and ferritin (I² = 0.7%, P = 0.418) meta‐analyses, respectively. Publication bias was not appreciated. High hemoglobin or ferritin levels increase the risk of GDM by more than 50% and more than double, respectively, in the first and third trimester. Therefore, determining of hemoglobin or ferritin concentration in early pregnancy might be a useful tool for recognizing pregnant women at risk of GDM.     

Perinatal outcome of infants born to diabetic mothers in a developing country-comparison of insulin and oral hypoglycemic agents

Objective

To study the perinatal outcomes of infants born to mothers with gestational diabetes treated with insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents in a developing country.

Design

Prospective observational cohort study.

Setting

Tertiary-care perinatal center in southern India.

Participants

Babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes.

Methods

Maternal details were obtained and physical examination was performed on the neonates. Babies were given hourly feeds soon after birth and blood glucoses checked at 1, 3, 5, 9 and 12 hours of life; hematocrit and calcium levels were also measured. Perinatal outcomes were compared between mothers who required insulin or an oral hypoglycemic agent for treatment of diabetes.

Results

Of the 10,394 mothers who delivered during the study period, 574 (5.5%) were diagnosed to have gestational diabetes. 137 were treated with insulin and 141 with oral hypoglycemic agents. 44 (15.8%) babies were born preterm, 97 (35%) were large for gestational age, 13 (4.7%) were small for gestational age and 9 (3.2%) were macrosomic. Hypoglycemia was seen in 26 (9.3%) babies, congenital anomalies in 15 (5.4%) and birth injuries in 7 (2.5%). There was no difference between the two groups in any of the outcomes except for hyperbilirubinemia, which was more in the insulin group (13.7% vs 6.5%, P=0.04).

Conclusions

There was no difference in the perinatal outcome whether the mother received insulin or an oral hypoglycemic agent for treatment of gestational diabetes other than the increased incidence of hyperbilirubinemia in the insulin group     

Are the neonatal outcomes similar in large-for-gestational age infants delivered by women with or without gestational diabetes mellitus?

Background

Infants are considered large for gestational age (LGA) if their birth weight is greater than the 90th percentile for gestational age and they have an increased risk for adverse perinatal outcomes. Maternal diabetes is one of the factors affecting birthweight. However there are limited data on the perinatal outcomes of infants of gestational diabetic mothers. The aim of the present study was to compare the neonatal outcomes of LGA infants delivered by women with and without gestational diabetes mellitus.

Methods

This was a retrospective study of LGA infants of ??36 weeks of gestation born at the Gazi University Medical School Hospital during the period of 2006?C2009. Neonatal outcomes included hypoglycemia and polycythemia in the early neonatal period and hospital admissions. The Chi-square and Student??s t test were used for comparing variables.

Results

Seven hundred eligible infant-mother pairs were enrolled in the study. Eighty-seven of them (12.4%) were infants of gestational diabetic mothers and 613 (87.6%) were infants of non-diabetic mothers. The incidence of hypoglycemia at the first hour was higher in infants of diabetic mothers (12.8%) than in infants of non-diabetic mothers (5.3%) (P=0.014). Polycythemia was also more frequently observed in infants of the gestational diabetic mothers (9.3%) than in infants of the non-diabetic mothers (3.0%) (P=0.010). Although overall hospital admission rates were not different between the two groups, infants of diabetic mothers were more likely to be admitted because of resistant hypoglycemia (P=0.045).

Conclusions

The results of this study suggested that LGA infants of mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus were at a greater risk for hypoglycemia and polycythemia in the early neonatal period than LGA infants of nondiabetic mothers.     

Prenatal maternal depression is associated with low birth weight through shorter gestational age in term infants in Korea

Background

Maternal prenatal depression is associated with lower offspring birth weight, yet the impact of gestational age on this association remains inadequately understood.

Aims

We aimed to investigate the effect of prenatal depression on low birth weight, gestational age, and weight for gestational age at term.

Study design

Prospective cohort study.

Subject

Data were collected from 691 women in their third trimester of pregnancy who went on to give birth to a singleton at term without perinatal complications. One hundred and fifty-two women had a Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-10 score ≥ 10 and were classed as prenatally depressed.

Outcome measures

Low birth weight (< 2500 g), gestational age at birth, and birth weight percentile for gestational age.

Results

Offspring of prenatally depressed women were more likely to be low birth weight (Odds ratio [OR] 2.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14–7.58) than offspring of prenatally non-depressed women, but the association was attenuated (OR 1.66, 95% CI 0.55–5.02) when adjusted for gestational age. Offspring of prenatally depressed women had lower gestational age in weeks (OR for one week increase in gestational age: 0.66, 95% CI 0.47–0.93) than offspring of prenatally non-depressed women. There was no association between prenatal depression and birth weight percentile for gestational age.

Conclusions

Prenatal depression was not associated with low birth weight at term, but was associated with gestational age, suggesting that association between maternal depression and birth weight may be a reflection of the impact of depression on offspring gestational age.     

Neonatal Macrosomia and Hypoglycaemia in Children of Mothers with Insulin-Treated Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

ABSTRACT. All newborn children to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the county of Örebro were investigated during a one year prospective study. Neonatal macrosomia (birthweight > 3 SD) was observed in 27% of children of mothers with GDM and was significantly correlated to the cord C-peptide concentration. Hypoglycaemia (B-glucose <1.5 mmol/l) was observed in 38% of the children, most frequently two hours after delivery. Hypoglycaemia was not more common in macrosomic children and could not be predicted by the blood glucose concentration of the mother at delivery or by the cord C-peptide level. It is concluded that mothers with GDM must be intensively treated in order to avoid the occurrence of macrosomia in their infants and that the newborn child must be carefully observed and treated in order to avoid neonatal hypoglycaemia.     

辅助生殖技术与妊娠期糖尿病孕产妇肠道菌群的特异表达

目的 通过检测和比较不同受孕方式及是否并发妊娠期糖尿病(gestational diabetes mellitus,GDM)孕产妇的肠道菌群,明确辅助生殖技术(assisted reproductive technology,ART)及GDM孕产妇肠道菌群的特异性表达,分析其机制,为今后预防干预、促进ART妊娠母婴健康...