Hemoglobin at the first visit of pregnancy and developing gestational diabetes mellitus: Results of a prospective registry cohort study

Abstract

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with a considerable risk of diabetes in the future. Few studies focused on the association between hemoglobin levels and developing gestational diabetes. This study aimed to determine the association of hemoglobin in early pregnancy and developing gestational diabetes mellitus. A prospective registry cohort study was designed for the recall of women with gestational diabetes mellitus. The registry was implemented in the health centers of Ahvaz City in 2019. Biological and clinical assessments were done, and interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to collect data on socio-demographic Features, medical and obstetric history, and risk factors of GDM. SPSS used for data analysis. The optimal hemoglobin cut-off point, its sensitivity, and specificity for the prediction of GDM were estimated using ROC analysis. The prevalence of anemia was 17.1% in pregnant women (8.1% in women with gestational diabetes versus %24.2% in the healthy group, p<0.001). The hemoglobin mean in women with GDM was significantly higher than in healthy women (P<0.001). Hemoglobin at the first visit was significantly associated with a greater risk of gestational diabetes (OR=3.80, 95% CI: 3.05-4.74). The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.76 (95% CI 0.73-79), and the optimal cut-off point for hemoglobin was 11.90g/dL, with a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 68%. Women with a higher hemoglobin level had a 3.8- more risk of developing GDM. Measurement of hemoglobin can be a relatively good tool for predicting gestational diabetes in the first months of pregnancy. The combination of hemoglobin with fasting blood sugar and BMI improves the predictive value for gestational diabetes incidence.