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Flat maternal glucose response curve and adverse pregnancy outcome

Abstract

Objective

The significance of a flat oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) response curve in pregnancy remains unclear. We investigated the association of a flat curve with pregnancy outcomes.

Study design

Retrospective cohort study. Flat OGTT curve was defined by an area under the curve below the 10th percentile. Pregnancy outcomes were compared between flat and normal curve.

Results

Of the 2673 eligible women, 269 had a flat response curve. Compared with the normal-response group, the flat-curve group had a lower mean birthweight (3363 ± 547 g vs. 3459 ± 519 g, p < 0.005), higher probability of small for gestational age (SGA) (19% vs. 12%, p < 0.005, aOR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.24–2.47), and 5-min Apgar score < 7 (1.12% vs. 0.29%, p < 0.05, aOR = 3.95, 95% CI 1.01–15.5). There were no differences in obstetric or maternal outcomes.

Conclusions

Flat OGTT is associated with lower birthweight, higher rates of SGA, and low Apgar scores. Detecting this previously unrecognized risk group, could potentially reduce these complications.

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Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Contributions

I.N.: Conceived the main research question, conceptualization, project administration, data curation, investigation, formal analysis, writing – original draft. A.R.: Data curation, project administration. A.P.: data curation, project administration. R.M.: Data curation, project administration. Y.T.: writing – review, S.B.H.: Data curation, project administration. E.H.: conceptualization, supervision, writing – review and editing.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Inbal Navon.

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Navon, I., Romano, A., Pardo, A. et al. Flat maternal glucose response curve and adverse pregnancy outcome. J Perinatol 43, 1101–1104 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-023-01691-8

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