Authors : B Sulekha, Sreekumari S, Joseph Paul Thyparambil, Geetha A, Deepti G N
DOI : 10.18231/j.ijcbr.2019.120
Volume : 6
Issue : 4
Year : 2019
Page No : 579-583
Introduction: Babies born of mothers with gestational diabetes tend to develop obesity and diabetes in
later life. This occurs in spite of good control of gestational diabetes. It was decided to study whether the
maternal hyperglycemia produces any alteration in thyroid function of the foetus which could account for
the development of insulin resistance and obesity in later years. The present study was done to find the
level of thyroid hormones in the cord blood of infants of mothers with gestational diabetes.
Materials and Methods: The study included 32 pregnant women who were suffering from gestational
diabetes mellitus and their newborn babies. The severity of maternal diabetes was assessed by the fasting
and postprandial blood sugar levels and the glycated haemoglobin levels. The glycated haemoglobin
was estimated during the third trimester of pregnancy. The thyroid hormone levels and blood sugar was
estimated in cord blood. The birth weight of the baby was also noted.
Result: In our study, the serum T3 levels in cord blood was very much increased as compared to the normal
range The cord blood T3 levels also showed a statistically significant positive correlation with the maternal
postprandial glucose levels and the glycated haemoglobin levels. The T3 levels in cord blood of babies
were much higher in those mothers who required insulin than the mothers who were controlled with diet
alone.
Conclusion: The increased T3 levels in cord blood may be an indicator of the hyperglycemia to which the
foetus is exposed during intrauterine life.
Keywords: Gestational diabetes mellitus, Cord blood thyroid hormone levels, Deiodinase enzyme, Glycated haemoglobin
TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), T4(tetraiodothyronine, T3 (tri iodothyronine), Glucose challenge test, Oral glucose tolerance test.