Continuous glucose monitoring during pregnancy in healthy mice

Abstract

During pregnancy, metabolic adaptations occur to maintain the balance between maternal and foetal growth, including increased insulin secretion and decreased insulin sensitivity. When the body fails to adjust, gestational diabetes mellitus develops. To gain insight in the pregnancy-induced adaptations, we applied continuous glucose monitoring via telemetric transmitters. We show that continuous glucose monitoring in conscious, non-stressed, freely moving mice throughout the full pregnancy is feasible, accurate and safe. We show that healthy mice during a full pregnancy develop adaptations in glucose homeostasis reminiscent of those in pregnant women. Furthermore, continuous glucose monitoring allows the complete analysis of all aspects of glucose excursions associated with spontaneous feeding episodes, and the thorough analysis of glycaemic variability. In conclusion, continuous glucose monitoring allows a detailed description of the glycaemic status during pregnancy, which will help to unravel specific mechanisms for gestational diabetes mellitus.