Clinical impact of mild carbohydrate intolerance in pregnancy: A study of 2904 nondiabetic Danish women with risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to study the clinical impact of mild carbohydr ate intolerance In pregnant women with risk factors for gestational diabete s mellitus. STUDY DESIGN: This was a historical cohort study of 2904 pregnant women exa mined for gestational diabetes on the basis of risk factors. Information on oral glucose tolerance test results and clinical outcomes was collected fr om laboratory charts and medical records. RESULTS: The following outcomes Increased significantly with increasing glu cose values during the oral glucose tolerance test: shoulder dystocia, macr osomia, emergency cesarean section, assisted delivery, hypertension, and In duction of labor. However, when corrections were made for other risk factor s, hypertension and induction of labor were only marginally associated with glucose levels. CONCLUSION: In a group of nondiabetic pregnant women with risk factors for gestational diabetes, there was a graded increase in the frequency of shoul der dystocia and other maternal-fetal complications with Increasing glucose levels during an oral glucose tolerance test.