DELAYED GASTRIC-EMPTYING AS A FACTOR IN DELAYED POSTPRANDIAL GLYCEMICRESPONSE IN PREGNANCY

Objective To determine whether an alteration in gastric emptying contr ibutes to an altered postprandial glycaemic response in normal pregnan cy. Design A longitudinal study in normal pregnancy and postpartum. Se tting Teaching hospital in Sheffield. Subjects Primigravid women with uncomplicated pregnancies. Interventions Simultaneous meal tolerance a nd paracetamol absorption tests. Main outcome measures 1. Gastric empt ying: maximum concentration (Cmax) and time to maximum concentration ( Tmax) of paracetamol; 2. glycaemic response: Cmax, Tmax, and area unde r the curve of plasma glucose; 3. insulinaemic response: Cmax, Tmax, a rea under the curve of plasma insulin. Results An increased, but not d elayed, insulin response, and an increased initial glucose response to a test meal in the third trimester were not accompanied by ally simul taneous delay in gastric emptying. Conclusion Gastric emptying does no t seem to be a factor in the glycaemic response of pregnancy.