Glycosylated haemoglobin in cord blood following normal and diabetic pregnancies

Abstract

Cord and maternal blood samples were obtained at delivery in 25 normal and 14 diabetic pregnancies (13 insulindependent, one gestational). Total glycosylated haemoglobin, measured by the colorimetric thiobarbiturate method (mmol hydroxymethylfurfural/mol haemoglobin), was lower in cord than maternal blood (mean 18.7±1.7 versus 26.5±2.1, mean ± SD, p<0.001). Glycosylated haemoglobin was higher following diabetic pregnancies, both in cord (diabetic 19.9± 1.6 versus normal 17.9±1.4, p<0.001) and maternal samples (diabetic 27.7±1.5 versus normal 25.6±2.1, p<0.005). Cord and maternal glycosylated haemoglobin correlated in the normal (r=0.60, p<0.01) but not in the diabetic group (r=0.02, NS). Birth weight ratio was higher in infants of diabetic than of normal mothers (1.10±0.16 versus 0.99±0.13, p< 0.05) but failed to correlate with cord or maternal glycosylated haemoglobin or, in the diabetic group, with mean blood glucose. © 1983 Springer-Verlag.