Glucose tolerance in obese pregnant women determines newborn fat mass

INTRODUCTION: Offspring of obese women have both short- and long-term increased morbidities. We investigated the relationship between maternal 2-h plasma glucose level determined by oral glucose tolerance test, degree of obesity, gestational weight gain and total fat, abdominal fat, and fat-free masses in the offspring of obese mothers.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Obese mother-newborn dyads were recruited and 2-h plasma glucose levels were assessed during gestational weeks 27-30; neonatal body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scanning (DXA) within 48 hours of birth.

RESULTS: Among 264 term, healthy, and singleton infants eligible for inclusion, 248 were included. Of these 205 (83%) obese mother-newborn-dyads had a DXA scan and 2-h plasma glucose measurements. Linear regression analysis showed that birth weight z-scores correlated with 2-h plasma glucose levels (p = 0.002) after adjusting for gestational weight gain, maternal age, education, smoking, pre-pregnancy degree of obesity, parity, and birth length. Total (p = 0.012) and abdominal (p = 0.039) fat masses correlated with 2-h plasma glucose levels after adjusting for gestational weight gain, maternal age, education, smoking, pre-pregnancy degree of obesity, parity, gestational age, and newborn sex. There was no association between total (p = 0.88) and abdominal (p = 0.61) fat-free masses and 2-h plasma glucose.

CONCLUSION: At 27-30 weeks of gestation, 2-h plasma glucose levels are related to total and abdominal newborn fat masses, but not to fat-free mass. Interventions targeting maternal postprandial glucose levels may induce more appropriate birth weight, thereby reducing the risk of subsequent morbidity. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.