Glucose tolerance tests in pregnancy and clinical manifestations in the offspring

Abstract

1.1. Oral and intravenous glucose tolerance tests were done in the third trimester of pregnancy in 39 women with a history of diabetes in the family or obstetric or pediatric findings frequently associated with diabetes. Similar studies were made in 10 women with a negative history. The infants of these mothers as well as of 9 patients with overt diabetes were investigated.2.2. Eighteen of the 39 mothers (45 per cent) showed abnormal glucose tolerance in both tests and were classified as gestationally diabetic.3.3. Twelve (67 per cent) of these mothers had infants above the seventy-fifth percentile of weight for gestational age as compared with 100 per cent for the infants of mothers with overt diabetes, 39 per cent for the suspect controls, and 20 per cent for the nonsuspect controls.4.4. Ten (55 per cent) of the 18 infants showed plethoric, balloon-cheeked facies as compared with 100 per cent for the infants of mothers with overt diabetes and none for the two control groups.5.5. Eight of 9 (89 per cent) infants born to overtly diabetic mothers had tachypnea as compared with 27 per cent in the infants of mothers with gestational diabetes and none in the controls.6.6. Five of 9 (55 per cent) infants born to overtly diabetic mothers had jitteriness as compared with 16 per cent in the infants of gestationally diabetic mothers, 4 per cent in the infants of mothers in the suspect control group, and none in the normal controls.