Maternal BMI, glucose tolerance, and adverse pregnancy outcomes

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to estimate the association of pregravid body mass index (BMI), independent of 3-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results, with pregnancy outcome.

Study design: In this secondary analysis of a cohort of women with untreated mild gestational glucose intolerance, which was defined as a 50-g glucose loading test between 135 and 199 mg/dL and fasting glucose level of <95 mg/dL, we modeled the association between pregravid BMI, OGTT results, and both pregnancy complications and neonatal adiposity.

Results: Among 1250 participants, both pregravid BMI and glucose at hour 3 of the OGTT were associated with increased risk of gestational hypertension. Maternal pregravid BMI also was associated positively with large-for-gestational-age infants; both maternal BMI and fasting glucose were associated with birthweight z-score and neonatal fat mass.

Conclusion: Among women with untreated mild gestational glucose intolerance, pregravid BMI is associated with increased gestational hypertension, birthweight, and neonatal fat mass, independent of OGTT values.