Relationship between maternal hypoglycaemia and small-for-gestational-age infants according to maternal weight status: a retrospective cohort study in two hospitals

Risk factors and glycaemic control in small-for-gestational-age infants born to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus: a case-control study using propensity score matching based on a large population

BACKGROUND

Small for gestational age (SGA) poses a significant concern for newborns, being linked to neonatal complications and potential metabolic disorders in adulthood, especially when born to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), elevating their risk of complications and mortality. However, the pregnancy risk factors and glycaemic control associated with SGA infants born to mothers with GDM remain unclear.

AIM

To identify the pregnancy risk factors and glycaemic control associated with SGA infants born to mothers with GDM.

METHOD

This case-control study was conducted among 1910 women with GDM in China. Data were collected by the integrated electronic medical record system. Using 1:4 propensity score matching analysis, we adjusted for gestational age as confounder. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify risk factors.

RESULTS

Risk factors for SGA born to mothers with GDM included a history of low birth weight, gestational hypertension, oligohydramnios, short maternal height, underweight pre-pregnancy body mass index and inadequate weight growth. While SGA was protected by weakly positive ketonuria levels in the first trimester, multiparous, anaemia and previous uterine scar were protective factors for SGA. Moreover, 2-hour postprandial glucose and haemoglobin A1c in the second trimester, as well as the 0-hour and 2-hour 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) were linked to risk of SGA.

CONCLUSIONS

SGA infants are the result of multifactorial interactions among GDM pregnant women. Notably, glycaemic control levels were associated with SGA. There is a need for enhanced perinatal monitoring and antenatal care to reduce SGA.

A Low 50-gram, 1-hour Glucose Challenge Test Value Predicts Neonatal Birth Weight Less than the 10th Percentile: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to perform a systematic review with meta-analysis to investigate if women with a low 50-g, 1-hour glucose challenge test (GCT) value are at risk for having neonates with a birth weight less than the 10th percentile.

STUDY DESIGN

A computerized literature search was conducted to identify studies that compared outcomes of pregnant women with a low GCT value versus women with a normal GCT value during routine screening for gestational diabetes.

RESULTS

Sixteen cohort studies were included for analysis. Women with a low GCT value were noted to have a 43% increased odds of having neonates with birth weight less than the 10th percentile (odds ratio [OR]: 1.43; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.28-1.60) and 30% increased odds of having neonates with a birth weight less than 2,500 g (OR: 1.3; 95% CI: 1.0-1.7) when compared with women with a normal GCT value. The rates of preterm delivery, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH)/preeclampsia, respiratory distress, NICU, and Apgar scores less than 7 were similar in the two groups.

CONCLUSION

A low GCT value defined as less than 90 mg/dL identifies pregnancies at elevated risk for having neonates with a birth weight less than the 10th percentile.

Association between false positive glucose challenge test results and large-for-gestational-age infants: a retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

There is no consensus regarding a possible relation between false positive glucose challenge test (GCT) results and large-for-gestational-age (LGA) infants. This study aimed to clarify the association between false positive GCT results and LGA, after adjusting for potential confounding factors, using a large clinical dataset.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

National Hospital Organisation Kofu National Hospital, which is a community hospital, between January 2012 and August 2019.

PARTICIPANTS

Japanese women who underwent GCT between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation at the hospital were included. After excluding those with gestational diabetes mellitus, diabetes in pregnancy and multiple pregnancies, subjects were divided into a false positive GCT group (≥140 mg/dL) and a GCT negative group (<140 mg/dL).

METHODS

Obstetric records of patients were examined. The χ²-test and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to investigate the association between false positive GCT results and LGA.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Incidence of LGA and the association between false positive GCT results and LGA.

RESULTS

The mean subject age was 31.4±5.5 years, with 43.3% nulliparity (n=974) and 2160 (96.1%) term deliveries. The incidence of LGA was 9.4% (211/2248) and 11.4% (257/2248) of the women had false positive GCT results. False positive GCT results were significantly associated with an increased risk of LGA (OR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.02 to 2.23), after controlling for maternal age, prepregnancy maternal weight, maternal weight gain during pregnancy and parity.

CONCLUSIONS

It appears that there is a significant association between false positive GCT results and LGA. Additional research is required to confirm these results and to investigate appropriate interventions for women with abnormal screens for gestational diabetes mellitus.

Association of trimester-specific gestational weight gain with birth weight and fetal growth in a large community-based population

BACKGROUND

Previous studies showed that the association of gestational weight gain (GWG) with fetal birthweight and offspring developmental growth was unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the respective effect of 1 kg of GWG during three trimesters on birthweight and offspring growth from birth to 3 years of age.

METHODS

We extracted the decoded information from the Maternal and Child Health Information Management System of Zhoushan Maternal and Child Health Hospital in Zhejiang, China from October 2001 to March 2015, and used multiple linear and logistic regression models.

RESULTS

This study included 20,232 women with a full-term singleton birth and 15,557 newborns who took regular health check-ups. Compared to that in the 2nd and 3rd trimester, 1 kg GWG increasing in the 1st trimester had the strongest positive association with higher birthweight, body weight, and height from 1 to 36 months. Their associations with BMI after birth were similar among the three trimesters. In addition, some positive dose-response effects found between quartiles of GWG in the 1st trimester and offspring body weight, as well as BMI. The 1 kg GWG in 1st trimester played the strongest role in contributing to birth weight and benefiting to body growth among children aged up to 3 years.

CONCLUSION

The 1 kg GWG in 1st trimester contributed more to birth weight and body development from birth to 3 years compared to the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. The possible beneficial effects of GWG in the 1st trimester on birthweight and offspring development in under/normal weight mothers are found.

Association of hypoglycaemia in screening oral glucose tolerance test in pregnancy with low birth weight fetus

BACKGROUND

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common metabolic derangement in pregnant women. In the women identified to be at high risk of GDM, a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at 24-28 wk gestation is the recommended screening test in the United Kingdom as per National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Hypoglycaemia following the glucose load is often encountered and the implication of this finding for the pregnancy, fetus and clinical care is unclear.

AIM

To determine the prevalence of hypoglycaemia at any time during the screening OGTT and explore its association with birth weight.

METHODS

All deliveries between 2009 and 2013 at the local maternity unit of the University hospital were reviewed. Of the total number of 24,154 women without pre-existing diabetes, those who had an OGTT for GDM screening based on NICE recommended risk stratification, who had a singleton delivery and had complete clinical and demographic data for analysis, were included for this study (n = 3537). Blood samples for fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-hour plasma glucose (2-h PG) and HbA_1c had been obtained. Birth weight was categorised as low (≤ 2500 g), normal or Macrosomia (≥ 4500 g) and blood glucose ≤ 3.5 mmol/L was used to define hypoglycaemia. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the association of various independent factors with dichotomized variables; the differences between frequencies/proportions by χ² test and comparison between group means was by one-way ANOVA.

RESULTS

Amongst the study cohort (3537 deliveries), 96 (2.7%) women had babies with LBW (< 2500 g). Women who delivered a LBW baby had significantly lower FPG (4.3 ± 0.6 mmol/L, P = 0.001). The proportion of women who had a 2-h PG ≤ 3.5 mmol/L in the LBW cohort was significantly higher compared to the cohorts with normal and macrosomic babies (8.3% vs 2.8% vs 4.2%; P = 0.007). The factors which predicted LBW were FPG, Asian ethnicity and 2-h PG ≤ 3.5 mmol/L, whereas maternal age, 2-h PG ≥ 7.8 mmol/L and HbA_1c were not significant predictors.

CONCLUSION

A low FPG and 2-h PG ≤ 3.5 mmol/L on 75-gram OGTT are significantly associated with low birth weight in women identified as high risk for GDM. Women of ethnic backgrounds (Asians) appear to be more susceptible to this increased risk and may serve as a separate cohort in whom we should offer more intensive follow up and screening for complications. Cost implications and resources for follow up would need to be looked at in further detail to support these findings.

Hypoglycaemia on an oral glucose tolerance test in pregnancy - Is it clinically significant?

AIM

During pregnancy, some women have a low glucose level on the 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The implications of this are unclear and there is no guideline on how to manage these women.

METHOD

We recruited pregnant women with a glucose level <3.5 mmol/L at 1- or 2-h during a screening antenatal OGTT. These women (Group 1) underwent self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) over a two-week period. We also compared Group 1's demographic and pregnancy outcomes data with women who had normal OGTT results (Group 2) and women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) (Group 3).

RESULTS

52 women were recruited. Post-hoc analysis of the SMBG results revealed 50% of women experienced 2 or more elevated fasting BGLs (>5.1 mmol/L) in a week when using the Australian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society (ADIPS) criteria. A further 8% women had elevated 2-h glucose levels (above 6.7 mmol/L). Group 1 women tended to have higher booking weight. They were less likely to have a history of macrosomia or be of East or South-East Asian ethnicity. There were no differences in pregnancy outcomes between Groups 1 and 2, but Group 1 had a higher rate of congenital abnormality (6%) than Group 3 (2%).

CONCLUSION

A large proportion of pregnant women who had a low glucose level on OGTT had elevated glucose levels on SMBG, however their pregnancy outcomes were not significantly different to women who had a normal OGTT. Currently there is not enough evidence to advocate routine SMBG and treatment for this group of women.