Metabolic factors and perinatal outcomes among pregnant individuals with mild glucose intolerance

Aims

Metabolic characteristics and outcomes were compared among pregnant individuals with varying levels of glucose intolerance.

Methods

827 participants from a randomized clinical trial comparing the IADPSG and Carpenter Coustan Criteria were grouped as follows: normal glucose tolerance, mild glucose intolerance (100 g OGTT with one abnormal value) and treated GDM (diagnosed by Carpenter Coustan or IADPSG criteria). Differences in metabolic characteristics and perinatal outcomes were assessed using inverse probability of treatment weighting.

Results

Mild glucose intolerance had lower insulin sensitivity and beta cell response than normal glucose tolerance, and similar findings to treated GDM. Small for gestational age (SGA) (OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.08–0.24) and neonatal composite morbidity were lower (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.38–0.74), and maternal composite morbidity higher (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.57–2.62) when comparing mild intolerance to normal glucose tolerance. Large for gestational age (OR 3.42 95% CI 1.39–8.41) was higher while SGA (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.05–0.81) and neonatal composite morbidity (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.17–0.57) were lower with mild glucose intolerance compared to treated GDM.

Conclusions

Mild glucose intolerance has a similar metabolic profile to treated GDM, and outcome differences are likely related to knowledge of diagnosis and treatment.

Clinical trials registry: NCT02309138.