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. 2023 Aug;49(8):2048-2055.
doi: 10.1111/jog.15706. Epub 2023 Jun 21.

Is HbA1c associated with birth weight? A multivariable analysis of Pakistani pregnant women

Olivia Silke  1 , Ilona S Yim  1 , Kiran Shaikh  2 , Sharifa Lalani  2 , Farooq Ghani  2 , Sikolia Wanyonyi  3 , Pauline Samia  4 , Mohamoud Merali  5 , Geoffrey Omuse  6 , Christine Okoko  6 , Ntonghanwah Forcheh  7 , Shahirose S Premji  8 ; Maternal-infant Global Health Team (MiGHT) Collaborators in Research
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Is HbA1c associated with birth weight? A multivariable analysis of Pakistani pregnant women

Olivia Silke et al. J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2023 Aug.

Abstract

Aim: Globally, one in seven infants is born with low birth weight and 3%-7% of infants are born with high birth weight, with the greatest burden noted in low- and middle-income countries. This study investigated the association between maternal prenatal glucose regulation and birth weight and the moderating effect of fetal sex among Pakistani women.

Methods: Secondary data from a prospective longitudinal study of healthy pregnant women from Pakistan (N = 189) was used. Participants provided a blood sample (12-19 weeks' gestational age) for the assessment of HbA1c (%). Birth weight (g) was collected following delivery.

Results: Higher maternal HbA1c was associated with higher birth weight (b = 181.81, t[189] = 2.15, p = 0.03), which was moderated by fetal sex (b = -326.27, t[189] = -2.47, p = 0.02), after adjusting for gestational age at birth, ethnicity, and pregnancy weight. Among women carrying a male fetus, every 1% increase in HbA1c predicted a 182 g increase in birth weight (b = 181.81, t[189] = 2.15, p = 0.03).

Conclusions: Results extend research from high-income countries and indicate that fetal sex may have implications for glucose regulation in early to mid-pregnancy. Future research should examine sociocultural factors, which could elucidate potential mediating factors in the relation between HbA1c and birth weight in healthy pregnancies.

Keywords: birth weight; glucose; glycated hemoglobin; low- and middle-income countries; pregnancy.

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