title: HbA1C levels in Japanese women during early pregnancy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The maternal glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) level in early pregnancy has been observed to be lower than the prepregnant value. In Japan, the average body mass index (BMI) shows a very slight change during early pregnancy, which has been thought to be associated with the incidence of hyperemesis gravidarum.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the relation between HbA1C and changes in BMI levels of 274 pregnant Japanese women managed at our hospital during early pregnancy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average HbA1C in early pregnancy was 5.1 +/- 0.4%, which did not differ markedly from that of nonpregnancy (5.0 +/- 0.5%). The HbA1C level showed a negative correlation with the increasing value of BMI during early pregnancy (r2 = 0.26, p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, we could not identify a significant decrease in HbA1C in Japanese women during early pregnancy. This finding may be associated with the incidence of hyperemesis gravidarum in Japanese women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tokyo Rinkai Hospital, 1-4-2 Rinkai-cho, Edogawa-ku, Tokyo, 134-0086, Japan. czg83542@mopera.ne.jp
authors.forename: Shunji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006939:Hyperemesis Gravidarum / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin