Journal Article

Do HbA1c levels during pregnancy predict offspring birthweights in women with pregestational diabetes? A retrospective study

Hall, DR, Budhram, S, Hassim, T

2026

Overview

Pregestational diabetes poses risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes including macrosomia. Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels provide information on glycaemia over time. The primary aim was to assess whether sequential HbA1c levels predict macrosomia. Secondary aims included gestational age at delivery. All women in Tygerberg Academic Hospital with pregestational diabetes, who delivered from January 1, 2022 to June 30, 2024 were included. The Ethics Committee of Stellenbosch University granted approval. Of the 112 patients, 28% had Type 1 diabetes or LADA, collectively designated Group A. 72% of all patients had Type 2 diabetes or MODY, collectively designated Group B. The proportion of macrosomic babies was 26% in Group A, and 24% in Group B. Amongst macrosomic babies, 50% were born preterm in Group A, and 10% in Group B. In Group B, a low positive correlation was observed between the third trimester HbA1c and the birthweight centile (p = 0.03, r = 0.24). Furthermore, the difference between the mid- and third trimester HbA1c values showed that the greater the upward difference, the higher the birthweight centile (Group A: p < 0.01, r = 0.51; Group B p = 0.01, r = 0.28). An increasing difference between mid- and third trimester HbA1c values correlated positively with higher birthweight centiles.

• Publisher: Taylor & Francis,Medpharm Publications
• Subject: adverse pregnancy outcomes / Birth weight / Blood glucose / Diabetes / Diabetes mellitus (insulin dependent) / Diabetes mellitus (non-insulin dependent) / fetal macrosomia / Gestational age / HbA1c / Hemoglobin / pregestational diabetes / Pregnancy