Z Geburtshilfe Neonatol 2013; 217 - V01_1
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1361187

Pattern of fasting blood glucose in normal pregnant Nigerian women

GO Ajayi 1, 2, O Adegbola 1, B Ogunsola 2, S Awoleke 1
  • 1College of Medicine of University of Lagos, Prenatal Diagnosis and Therapy Centre, Lagos, Nigeria
  • 2College of Medicine of University of Lagos, Dept. of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Lagos, Nigeria

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the glycemic pattern of pregnant Nigerian women.

Setting: A tertiary Prenatal Diagnosis and Therapy Centre and Dept of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the University of Lagos, Nigeria.

Methods and Material: Between May 2002 and March 2010, Nine hundred and forty four (944) healthy pregnant women of which were less than 14 weeks (1st trimester), 425 were between 15 – 27 weeks (2nd trimester) and 492 were above 28 weeks (3 rd trimester) were randomly selected for the study. they were regularly attending the antenatal clinic of the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital, Lagos. 149 healthy non-pregnant women matched for age and parity were also recruited into the study as control. the study was conducted according to the Helsinki declaration. Venous blood was obtained after informed consent of the patient and an overnight fast (no calorie intake for 8 hours) for fasting blood glucose using the glucose oxidase-peroxidase (spectrophotometry) method.

Results: Fasting blood glucose was higher (82 ± 1.26 mg/dl) in non-pregnant subjects but this was not significantly different from that of pregnant women (80.11 ± 0.59 mg/dl). there was a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the FBG of pregnant women in the 1st trimester (100.76 ± 5.59 mg/dl) compared to non-pregnant women. The FBG of pregnant women in the first trimester was significantly higher (P < 0.05) compared to women in the 2nd trimester (80.55 ± 0.90 mg/dl) and in the 3 rd trimester (78.61 ± 0.74 mg/dl). The FBG of pregnant women in the 3 rd trimester was lower compared to those in the 2nd trimester, this was not significantly different. there was a significant negative correlation between gestational age and FBG, that is, as gestational age increases, FBG decreases. the decline in the FBg was markedat the 20th week of gestation.

Conclusion: Fasting blood sugar was found to be lower in Nigerian Women and decreases as pregnancy advances confirming other reports.