Comparison of serum placental protein hormone levels in diabetic and normal pregnancy.
Conflicting data exist concerning maternal serum concentrations of placental hormones during pregnancy in women with diabetes mellitus. To resolve some of these discrepancies, women participating in the NICHD-Diabetes in Early Pregnancy Study were studied. In this collaborative study, pregnancy was identified within 21 days of conception by serum hCG measurements. We prospectively collected 185 blood samples from 35 insulin-dependent diabetic women and 166 blood samples from 31 control women, all between 5 and 37 weeks gestation. Serum concentrations of hCG, pregnancy-specific beta-1-glycoprotein, placental lactogen, and hCG alpha were measured serially. The relationship between serum hormone, fasting blood glucose, 1-h postprandial blood glucose, and glycosylated hemoglobin concentrations was compared. Serum hCG alpha levels were significantly lower in the diabetic women than in control women at multiple time points during the first and second trimesters, while no consistent differences in the serum concentrations of hCG or pregnancy-specific beta-1-glycoprotein were found between pregnant diabetic and control women. Serum placental lactogen levels were significantly lower in diabetic women at 9-10 weeks and 20 weeks gestation. There were no correlations between fasting blood glucose, 1-h postprandial blood glucose, or glycosylated hemoglobin and any of the placental protein levels in the diabetic women. These data are consistent with a defect in synthesis and/or secretion of hCG alpha by the cytotrophoblast during the first two trimesters of pregnancy in insulin-requiring diabetic women.
Braunstein
G D
GD
Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, University of California, School of Medicine, Los Angeles 90048.
Mills
J L
JL
Reed
G F
GF
Jovanovic
L G
LG
Holmes
L B
LB
Aarons
J
J
Simpson
J L
JL
D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D010926:Placental Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D010928:Placental Lactogen / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics / Q000097:blood*; D011268:Pregnancy-Specific beta 1-Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood
D001786:Blood Glucose; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D010926:Placental Hormones; D010928:Placental Lactogen; D011268:Pregnancy-Specific beta 1-Glycoproteins