Blood Sugar Levels at Gestational Diabetes Diagnosis Predict Outcomes

MONDAY, May 20, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Glucose above the diagnostic threshold at the time of gestational diabetes diagnosis is associated with worse neonatal outcomes, according to a study presented at the annual European Congress of Endocrinology, hosted by the European Society of Endocrinology from May 11 to 14 in Stockholm.

Catarina Cidade-Rodrigues, M.D., from Centro Hospitalar do Tâmega e Sousa in Guilhufe, Portugal, and colleagues evaluated the association between glucose above the diagnostic threshold at gestational diabetes diagnosis and the risk for perinatal complications and maternal glucose abnormalities postpartum. The analysis included 6,927 women with live-born, singleton pregnancies followed between 2012 and 2017.

The researchers found that each 5-mg/dL increase in glucose above diagnostic threshold was associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, cesarean section, neonatal hypoglycemia, large-for-gestational age, and abnormal maternal glucose homeostasis. However, no associations were seen for preterm labor. Glucose above the diagnostic threshold remained associated with neonatal hypoglycemia, large-for-gestational age, and abnormal maternal glucose homeostasis in an adjusted analysis.

"The magnitude of elevated risk can be calculated with our measurements and, in practice, could be used to identify and stratify women at higher risk of developing these complications," Cidade-Rodrigues said in a statement. "We now want to evaluate if there is a benefit in further stratifying these high-risk women with gestational diabetes, who will need to be more closely monitored and to whom pharmacological interventions can be carried out appropriately."

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