Relationship between maternal fasting glucose levels at 4-12 gestational weeks and offspring growth and development in early infancy

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the association of maternal fasting glucose levels at 4-12 gestational weeks with anthropometry in the offspring from birth to 12 months in Tianjin, China.

Design and methods: A total of 57,454 pregnant women underwent a fasting glucose test during the first trimester, and their children had body weight/length measured from birth to 12 months of age.

Results: Maternal fasting glucose concentrations at 4-12 gestational weeks were positively associated with Z scores for birth weight, birth length, birth weight for length, and birth body mass index (BMI). Infants born to mothers with fasting glucose concentrations ≥126mg/dL (7.0mmol/l) had had the highest mean Z scores for birth weight, birth length, birth weight for length and birth BMI for gestational age, and the lowest mean Z scores for weight and length for age at months 3, 6, 9, and 12, the smallest changes in Z scores for weight for age, weight for length, and BMI for age from birth to month 3, and largest changes in Z scores for weight for age, and BMI for age after 6 months.

Conclusions: Higher maternal fasting glucose during pregnancy was associated with larger birth weight and birth length, less weight gain and length gain in the first 3 months of life, and more weight gain in months 6-12 of life.

Keywords: Growth and development; Hyperglycemia; Infant; Pregnancy.