Maternal glucose homeostasis during pregnancy in women with overweight or obesity and markers of offspring adiposity, glycemia, and insulinemia

Abstract Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) adversely affects offspring glucose homeostasis and markers of adiposity. Here, we examined the association between glycemia during pregnancy in overweight or obese women without GDM and markers of glucose homeostasis and adiposity in the offspring. Maternal fasting glucose and glucose concentrations 2-h after an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) were measured in 208 pregnant women with a pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) of 28-45 kg/m² without GDM. Offspring outcomes were collected at birth, 3, and 5 years of age. Linear mixed models with random effect of subject ID were used. No associations were found between maternal fasting or 2-h glucose concentrations with offspring fasting glucose and insulin concentrations from birth to 5 years of age. However, maternal fasting glucose in GW 28 and 36, and 2-h OGTT glucose in GW 28 were positively associated with C-peptide concentration at birth. Maternal fasting glucose at all time points during pregnancy was positively associated with BMI z-score at birth. Circulating blood glucose in pregnant women with overweight or obesity without GDM is positively associated with offspring C-peptide concentration and BMI z-score at birth but not with glucose and insulin concentrations during the first 5 years of life.