INTRODUCTION: In pregnancies complicated by diabetes, inadequate blood sugar control can impair placental function. These pregnancies carry an elevated likelihood of outcomes such as preterm delivery, preeclampsia, and fetal malformations. Because these adverse events are closely related to placental compromise, examining the interplay between glycemic status and placental health is essential. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between maternal glycemic control, measured by hemoglobin A 1C (Hb A 1C ), and placental growth factor (PlGF) levels in a pregnant cohort with a high prevalence of diabetes. METHODS: A retrospective review of medical records for patients who underwent both PlGF and Hb A 1C testing during antenatal care (REB-USask #Bio3702) was conducted. Mean Hb A 1C levels were compared across the first, second, and third trimesters between women with low PlGF (10th percentile) using ANOVA. RESULTS: Data from 471 pregnancies were analyzed, including 322 with normal PlGF and 149 with low PlGF. No statistically significant differences in Hb A 1C were observed between groups in the first or second trimesters. By the third trimester, however, women with low PlGF had a higher mean Hb A 1C (5.7%) compared to those with normal PlGF (5.5%), with the association reaching statistical significance ( P =.006). CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS: Elevated Hb A 1C in late pregnancy is significantly linked to reduced PlGF levels, suggesting that suboptimal glycemic control during the third trimester is associated with placental dysfunction.
Figueiro-Filho et al. (Thu,) studied this question.