The HbA1c blood test in the first trimester can predict chances of gestational diabetes

an HbA1c blood test at the start of pregnancy can help to plan the pregnancy better and help one avert the complications of gestational diabetes.

Debjani Arora | Published: August 21, 2018 1:29 pm

During pregnancy, a woman has to undergo a series of tests – scans, blood tests, etc. These tests are necessary to know if the woman is suffering from any kind of infection or disease that could harm the baby or be detrimental towards maternal health. However, there are not many tests that are done at the start of the pregnancy that can predict if the mother can suffer from gestational diabetes during pregnancy.

A recent study pointed out that gestational diabetes (GDM) is a common pregnancy complication associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes including an increased risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease later in life in mothers and an increased risk for macrosomia (large head babies) and obesity in offspring. A recent study reported that GDM associated fetal overgrowth starts early in pregnancy before the diagnosis of GDM, potentially demonstrating a need to identify pregnancies with glucose intolerance earlier in pregnancy. However, as a pre-conception test, a blood test is not done to check if the mother is susceptible to developing gestational diabetes during the course of the time.

But few scientists documented a study in Scientific Reports that doing an HbA1c test prior to pregnancy (pre-conception) can be a good indicator of GDM, even if it is done in the first trimester it would still be beneficial. “HbA1c, a measure of glycated haemoglobin which serves as an indicator of blood glucose control in the prior 3–4 months, maybe an avenue for earlier identification of women at risk for GDM. However, while HbA1c is currently used among high-risk women at the first prenatal visit to identify women with overt type 2 diabetes, it is not currently used to screen for GDM,” the scientists reported.

Currently, gestational diabetes is a huge concern for mothers across the globe. Many mothers who are pre-diabetic and conceive are at higher chances of suffering from GDM. So an HbA1c blood test at the start of pregnancy can help to plan the pregnancy better and help one avert the complications of the same.

Image source: Shutterstock

Published: August 21, 2018 1:29 pm

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