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Maternal glycemia and body composition

GDM is associated with problems for pregnant women and their baby. Complications for mother include high blood pressure and diabetes later in life. Complications affecting the baby include excessive birth weight, low blood sugar, and diabetes later in life. Obesity is a modifiable risk factor for GDM. One in six women booking for antenatal care in Ireland is obese (BMI >29.9kg/m2).
Some countries recommend that all women should be tested for diabetes at the start of their pregnancy, but in Ireland we only check women with risk factors for GDM, and not until 24-28 weeks. As a result, we do not know what the normal levels of glucose are at the start of pregnancy, nor do we know what levels at this stage in pregnancy might be associated with poorer pregnancy outcome.
Our unit has shown already the best way to accurately measure sugar levels so as to detect women with GDM at 24-28 weeks. The purpose of our study is to try and establish what the normal blood sugar levels are at the start of pregnancy. Our research team will see each woman before15 weeks gestation to have measurements (weight, height, body composition), blood tests for sugar levels and an ultrasound scan.
We hope to show what level of blood sugar is a good cut-off point to detect at-risk pregnancies. The results from our study will be published in international journals and will inform national guidelines on the normal glucose levels in pregnancy.