Diabetes Care, Vol 18, Issue 4 467-475, Copyright © 1995 by American Diabetes Association
Effects of maternal gestational diabetes and adiposity on neonatal adiposity and blood pressure
BR Vohr, ST McGarvey and CG Coll
Department of Pediatrics, Miriam Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
OBJECTIVE--To determine the effects of maternal factors, including
prepregnancy maternal adiposity, weight gain during pregnancy, degree of
abnormality of the glucose tolerance test, glycemia during pregnancy, and
treatment with insulin versus diet therapy, on neonatal body weight,
adiposity, and blood pressure in infants of mothers with gestational
diabetes (IGDM) and control patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS--A total
of 119 term IGDM, including 57 large-for-gestational-age (LGA) and 62
appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) infants, and 143 term control
infants, including 74 LGA and 69 AGA infants, were prospectively enrolled.
Maternal measurements of prepregnancy weight, height, and weight gain were
abstracted from medical records. A diagnosis of gestational diabetes was
made on the basis of an initial 1-h 50-g glucose screen value > or = 130
mg/dl followed by two abnormal values in a 100-g oral glucose tolerance
test. Infant anthropometric measurements were obtained, and blood pressure
was measured on day 2 of life. Correlation analyses and multiple regression
analyses were performed to assess the relationships among maternal factors
and neonatal adiposity and blood pressure. RESULTS--Multiple regression
analyses to determine the effects of significant maternal factors on infant
body mass index (BMI) revealed that prepregnancy weight and weight gain
were significant predictors for both IGDM and control infants. An increased
glucose screen predicted BMI for control subjects, whereas the mean 2nd and
3rd trimester glucose values were the significant predictors for IGDM.
Also, increased newborn triceps skinfold thickness measurements correlated
with increased systolic blood pressure for IGDM (r = 0.29, P < 0.03).
CONCLUSIONS--Increased maternal prepregnancy weight, weight gain in
pregnancy, and glycemia in pregnancy all place IGDM at increased risk of
macrosomia and adiposity. Increased adiposity in the IGDM appears to be
related to increased infant blood pressure. Longitudinal evaluation is
needed to determine whether neonatal adiposity in IGDM is predictive of
increased adiposity and blood pressure during childhood.