A link between relative hypoglycemia-hypoinsulinemia during oral glucose tolerance tests and intrauterine growth retardation.
Early identification of the intrauterine growth-retarded fetus is a key factor in improving associated perinatal morbidity and mortality. We investigated, in a prospective study of 43 patients at high risk of intrauterine growth retardation, the predictive value of a derived glucose index and whether hypoglycemia accompanied by hypoinsulinemia in normotensive patients is associated with intrauterine growth retardation. Our findings suggest that the glucose index and 2-hour plasma glucose concentration appear to be useful antepartum predictors of intrauterine growth retardation in normotensive high-risk pregnancies. There is an apparent link between selective maternal hypoglycemia, hypoinsulinemia, and being small for gestational age. A "flat" glucose tolerance test should be regarded as an abnormal pattern in normotensive pregnancies as it was associated with a twentyfold increased risk of intrauterine growth retardation in this study.
D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D005865:Gestational Age; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000150:complications*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D010928:Placental Lactogen / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012306:Risk
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D010928:Placental Lactogen