Association Between Maternal Basal Glucose Level and Intrauterine Growth Restriction: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Intrauterine life is the most pivotal period of development that determines vital outcomes in
postnatal life. Diabetes Mellitus may lead to disturbed fetal growth and maternal vasculopathy resulting in
placental insufficiency with subsequent development of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). This study
aims to find an association between hyperglycemia and the risk of IUGR, comparing pregnancies with IUGR
with those with adequate for gestational age pregnancies.
Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in Federal Post Graduate Medical Institute (FPGMI)
from January 2015 to January 2016, including 106 pregnant women using non-probability convenient
sampling technique. Participants were divided into two groups: Group Acomprises of pregnant women with
adequate for gestational age pregnancies (n=53) and groups B includes pregnant women with intrauterine
growth restricted pregnancies (n=53). Random blood sugar level was estimated by glucose/oxidase test and
IUGR was confirmed by ultrasonography at 28-35 weeks of gestation. Shapiro-Wilk test was used to
examine data normality and independent t-test was used to compare statistically significant difference. A pvalue of <0.05 was considered significant.
Results: Mean basal sugar level of group Awas 98.9 ± 7.1 mg/dLand that of group B was 97.9 ± 6.0mg/dL.
This mean difference was not statistically significant (p-value= 0.566).
Conclusion: We found no statistically significant association between raised maternal basal glucose level
and the occurrence of intrauterine growth restriction at 28-35 weeks of pregnancy