Does reactive hypoglycemia during the 100 g oral glucose tolerance test adversely affect perinatal outcomes?

Abstract

Objectives: To determine whether pregnant women who have reactive hypoglycemia during the 100 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) are at an increased risk of poor pregnancy outcomes. Material and methods: We retrospectively analyzed perinatal data from 413 women who underwent a 3 h OGTT at 24-28 weeks of gestation and gave birth in our clinics between January 2012 and December 2014. Results: According to OGTT results, the majority of the subjects were normoglycemic (n = 316, 76.5%), while 49 (11.9%) were diagnosed with gestational diabetes, and 33 (8.0%) had single high glucose values. Reactive hypoglycemia was detected in only 15 patients (3.6%). The mean age of the women in the reactive hypoglycemia group was significantly lower than that of the women in the gestational diabetes and single high glucose value groups (26.4 ± 4.4 years, 31.4 ± 5.4 years, and 31.8 ± 4.3 years, respectively; p < 0.05). The newborns of the women in the reactive hypoglycemia group had higher rates of APGAR scores < 7, increased admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and lower birth weights compared with the other groups (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p = 0.009, respectively). Conclusion: Reactive hypoglycemia during the 3 h 100 g OGTT is significantly associated with low APGAR scores, low birth weights, and prenatal admission to the NICU. Therefore, pregnant women who develop hypoglycemia during the 100 g OGTT performed at 24-28 weeks of gestation should receive attentive follow-up care to decrease the possibility of adverse perinatal outcomes.