Diabetes care and pregnancy outcomes for women with pregestational diabetes in Ireland

Contributing factors of birth asphyxia in Thailand: a case-control study

BACKGROUND

Birth asphyxia is of significant concern because it impacts newborn health from low to severe levels. In Thailand, birth asphyxia remains a leading cause of delayed developmental health in children under 5 years old. The study aimed to determine the maternal, fetal and health service factors contributing to birth asphyxia.

METHODS

A case-control design was conducted on a sample of 4256 intrapartum chart records. The samples were selected based on their Apgar scores in the first minute of life. A low Apgar score (≤ 7) was chosen for the case group (852) and a high Apgar score (> 7) for the control group (3408). In addition, a systematic random technique was performed to select 23 hospitals, including university, advanced and secondary, in eight health administration areas in Thailand for evaluating the intrapartum care service. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS statistical software.

RESULTS

The odds of birth asphyxia increases in the university and advanced hospitals but the university hospitals had the highest quality of care. The advanced and secondary hospitals had average nurse work-hours per week of more than 40 h. Multivariable logistic regression analysis found that intrapartum care services and maternal-fetal factors contributed to birth asphyxia. The odd of birth asphyxia increases significantly in late-preterm, late-term pregnancies, low-birth weight, and macrosomia. Furthermore, maternal comorbidity, non-reassuring, and obstetric emergency conditions significantly increase the odd of birth asphyxia. In addition, an excellent quality of intrapartum care, a combined nursing model, low nurse work-hours, and obstetrician-conducted delivery significantly reduced birth asphyxia.

CONCLUSION

Birth asphyxia problems may be resolved in the health service management offered by reducing the nurse work-hours. Excellent quality of care required the primary nursing care model combined with a team nursing care model. However, careful evaluation and monitoring are needed in cases of comorbidity, late-preterm, late-term pregnancies, low-birth weight, and macrosomia. Furthermore, increasing the obstetrician availability in obstetric emergencies and non-reassuring fetal status is important.

A Brazilian cohort of pregnant women with overt diabetes: analyses of risk factors using a machine learning technique

Objective

Pregnancy complicated by type 2 diabetes is rising, while data on type 2 diabetes first diagnosed in pregnancy (overt diabetes) are scarce. We aimed to describe the frequency and characteristics of pregnant women with overt diabetes, compare them to those with known pregestational diabetes, and evaluate the potential predictors for the diagnosis of overt diabetes.

Subjects and methods

A retrospective cohort study including all pregnant women with type 2 diabetes evaluated in two public hospitals in Porto Alegre, Brazil, from May 20, 2005, to June 30, 2021. Classic and obstetric factors associated with type 2 diabetes risk were compared between the two groups, using machine learning techniques and multivariable analysis with Poisson regression.

Results

Overt diabetes occurred in 33% (95% confidence interval: 29%-37%) of 646 women. Characteristics of women with known or unknown type 2 diabetes were similar; excessive weight was the most common risk factor, affecting ~90% of women. Age >30 years and positive family history of diabetes were inversely related to a diagnosis of overt diabetes, while previous delivery of a macrosomic baby behaved as a risk factor in younger multiparous women; previous gestational diabetes and chronic hypertension were not relevant risk factors.

Conclusion

Characteristics of women with overt diabetes are similar to those of women with pregestational diabetes. Classic risk factors for diabetes not included in current questionnaires can help identify women at risk of type 2 diabetes before they become pregnant.

Attendance at pre-pregnancy care clinics for women with type 1 diabetes: A scoping review

INTRODUCTION

Type 1 diabetes mellitus occurs in one in every 275 pregnancies and can result in increased morbidity and mortality for both mother and baby. Several pregnancy complications can be reduced or prevented by attendance at pre-pregnancy care (PPC). Despite this, less than 40% of pregnant women with pre-gestational diabetes receive formal PPC. The aim of this scoping review is to identify the barriers to PPC attendance among women with type 1 diabetes.

METHODS

We conducted a scoping review by searching five databases (Ebsco, Embase, Ovid and PubMed for literature and the ProQuest for any grey/unpublished literature) for studies in English between 2000 and 2022. Studies that evaluated attendance at PPC for women with type 1 diabetes were included.

RESULTS

There are multiple barriers to PPC attendance, and many of these barriers have been unchanged since the 1990s. Identified barriers can be grouped under patient-centered and clinician-centered headings. Patient factors include knowledge and awareness, unplanned pregnancies, negative perceptions of healthcare and communication issues, unclear attendance pathways and logistical issues including time off work and childcare. Clinician factors include physician knowledge, time constraints and lack of comfort discussing pregnancy/contraception.

CONCLUSION

This review highlights the ongoing problem of poor attendance at PPC and identifies key barriers to be addressed when developing and implementing PPC programs for women with type 1 diabetes.

Clinical Value of Serum BMP-4, BMP-2, GDF-15, MMP-9, GP39 Levels in Pregnant Women with Obesity and the Related Comorbidities Diabetes Mellitus and Gestational Hypertension

AIMS

We evaluated the clinical value of selected serum biomarkers BMP-4, BMP-2, GDF-15, MMP-9, and GP39 in pregnant women with obesity and the comorbidities diabetes mellitus (DM) and gestational hypertension (GHT).

METHODS

This observational study had groups of controls, including healthy pregnant women; women with only obesity, including pregnant women with BMI≥30 kg/m²; women with gestational DM (GDM) with obesity, including pregnant women with GDM and obesity; women with pregestational DM (PGDM) with obesity, including pregnant women with PGDM and obesity; and women with GHT with obesity, including pregnant women with GHT and obesity. We measured serum levels of selected biomarkers by ELISA.

RESULTS

Obesity increased serum levels of all the biomarkers; GDM developed in obese women caused a more pronounced increase in the serum levels of BMP-4 and BMP-2, and GHT developed in obese women caused a more pronounced increase in the serum levels of GDF-15. In the women with GDM-, PGDM-, and GHT-complicated obesity, serum levels of MMP-9 and GP39 did not change meaningfully.

CONCLUSIONS

Obesity and its comorbidities DM and GHT lead to meaningful changes in the studied serum biomarkers. Since obesity has a causal effect on developing numerous conditions, reliable clinical biomarkers are needed to improve the early prediction and diagnosis of high-risk conditions during pregnancy.

Overt diabetes imposes a comparable burden on outcomes as pregestational diabetes: a cohort study

BACKGROUND

Women with diabetes first diagnosed during pregnancy (overt diabetes) may be at the same risk level of adverse outcomes as those with known pregestational diabetes. We compared pregnancy outcomes between these groups.

METHODS

We evaluated pregnant women with type 2 diabetes, pregestational or overt diabetes, attending high risk antenatal care in two public hospitals in Southern Brazil, from May 20, 2005 to June 30, 2021. Outcomes were retrieved from electronic medical records. Risk of adverse outcomes, expressed as relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI), were calculated using Poisson regression with robust estimates.

RESULTS

Of 618 women, 33% were labelled as having overt diabetes and 67%, pregestational diabetes. Baseline maternal characteristics were similar: there was a slight, non-clinically relevant, difference in maternal age (33 ± 5.7 years in women with pregestational diabetes vs. 32 ± 6.0 years in women with overt diabetes, p = 0.004); and women with overt diabetes reported smoking almost twice compared to those with pregestational diabetes (12.3% vs. 6.5%, p = 0.024). There were no relevant differences between the groups regarding pregnancy outcomes, although there was a trend of higher neonatal intensive care admission in the group of women with pregestational diabetes (45.2% vs. 36.1%, p = 0.051).

CONCLUSIONS

Overt diabetes was diagnosed in one third of this cohort of pregnant women with hyperglycemia. Their pregnancy outcomes were similar to those of women with pregestational diabetes and were mostly related to maternal demographic characteristics and metabolic control. A call to action should be made to identify women of childbearing age at risk for pre-pregnancy diabetes; to detect hyperglycemia before conception; and to implement timely preconception care to all women with diabetes.

Retrospective national cohort study of pregnancy outcomes for women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus in Republic of Ireland

AIM

Report the outcomes of pregnant women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes and to identify modifiable and non-modifiable factors associated with poor outcomes.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of pregnancy preparedness, pregnancy care and outcomes in the Republic of Ireland from 2015 to 2020 and subsequent multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

In total 1104 pregnancies were included. Less than one third attended pre-pregnancy care (PPC), mean first trimester haemoglobin A1c was 7.2 ± 3.6% (55.5 ± 15.7 mmol/mol) and 52% received pre-conceptual folic acid. Poor preparation translated into poorer pregnancy outcomes. Livebirth rates (80%) were comparable to the background population however stillbirth rates were 8.7/1000 (four times the national rate). Congenital anomalies occurred in 42.5/1000 births (1.5 times the background rate). More than half of infants were large for gestational age and 47% were admitted to critical care. Multivariate analyses showed strong associations between non-attendance at PPC, poor glycaemic control and critical care admission (adjusted odds ratio of 1.68 (1.48-1.96) and 1.61 (1.43-1.86), p < 0.05 respectively) for women with type 1 diabetes. Smoking and teratogenic medications were also associated with critical care admission and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

CONCLUSION

Pregnancy outcomes in women with diabetes are suboptimal. Significant effort is needed to optimize the modifiable factors identified in this study.

Metformin for pregnancy and beyond: the pros and cons

CONTEXT AND AIM

Metformin has been used in pregnancy since the 1970s. It is cheap, widely available and is acceptable to women. Despite its increasing use, controversy remains surrounding its benefits and risks. Metformin effectively reduces hyperglycaemia for the mother during pregnancy and it reduces rates of macrosomia and neonatal hypoglycaemia. However, concern exists surrounding an increase in the rate of SGA births and obesity in childhood. We aim to review the evidence and expert opinion behind metformin in pregnancy through to the post-partum period.

METHODS

We performed a literature review of relevant studies from online databases using a combination of keywords. We also searched the references of retrieved articles for pertinent studies.

RESULTS

There is strong evidence that metformin is safe in early pregnancy with no risk of congenital malformations. If used throughout pregnancy, it is likely to lead to reduced maternal weight gain and reduced insulin dose in women with type 2 diabetes. In infants, metformin reduces hypoglycaemia and macrosomia but may increase the rate of infants born SGA. There is some evidence of an increased risk of obesity and altered fat distribution in offspring. Metformin appears well tolerated in pregnancy and is more acceptable to women than insulin therapy.

CONCLUSION

Due to increasing rates of maternal obesity, GDM and type 2 diabetes, metformin use in pregnancy is increasing. Overall, it appears safe and effective but further research is needed to examine mechanisms linking metformin to obesity reported during childhood in some follow-up studies.

Glycaemic control and novel technology management strategies in pregestational diabetes mellitus

INTRODUCTION

Pregestational diabetes (PGDM) is an increasingly common and complex condition that infers risk to both mother and infant. To prevent serious morbidity, strict glycaemic control is essential. The aim of this review is to review the glucose sensing and insulin delivering technologies currently available for women with PGDM.

METHODS

We reviewed online databases for articles relating to technology use in pregnancy using a combination of keywords and MeSH headings. Relevant articles are included below.

RESULTS

A number of technological advancements have improved care and outcomes for women with PGDM. Real time continuous glucose monitoring (rtCGM) offers clear advantages in terms of infants size and neonatal intensive care unit admissions; and further benefits are seen when combined with continuous subcutaneous insulin delivery (insulin pump) and algorithms which continuously adjust insulin levels to glucose targets (hybrid closed loop). Other advancements including flash or intermittent scanning CGM (isCGM) and stand-alone insulin pumps do not confer as many advantages for women and their infants, however they are increasingly used outside of pregnancy and many women enter pregnancy already using these devices.

DISCUSSION

This article offers a discussion of the most commonly used technologies in pregnancy and evaluates their current and future roles.