IMPACT OF CONCEPTUS MASS ON GLUCOSE DISPOSAL RATE IN PREGNANT-WOMEN

The impact of an increasing fetal and placental mass on maternal gluco se disposal rate (GDR) was studied in 17 pregnant women. Eleven pregna ncies were singleton pregnancies, five were twin and one was a triplet pregnancy. Both the maternal fasting glucose concentration [Glc] and the total fetal and placental weight (W) were significantly correlated with an increased maternal GDR. Glucose concentration and conceptus w eight were interdependent. The multiple linear regression of glucose d isposal rate on glucose concentration and total weight is given by GDR = -1.573 + 0.176W + 0.932[Glc] +/- 0.24, r2 = 0.52, P < 0.01. These d ata are utilized to estimate the glucose utilization rate of the human conceptus at a fasting glucose concentration of 3.9 mM with a range o f 10-15 mg . kg-1 . min- 1. Maternal GDR increases with increasing glu cose concentration at a rate similar to that reported for newborn infa nts, consistent with a high glucose utilization by the uterus.