ABSTRACT

In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and maternal weight gain on maternal biochemical parameters and fetal birth weight by comparing the cases with gestational diabetes mellitus and normal controls. Thirty seven women with gestational diabetes mellitus and 42 women with a negative result of 50 g oral glucose tolerance test constituted the study and control groups, respectively. Maternal demographic charecteristics, weight gain during pregnancy, BMIs before gestation and during test, maternal metabolic parameters and birth weight of term newborn were recorded in the study. There was a significant difference between the study and control groups with respect to triglyceride levels (253.7±71.5 versus 188.5±68.3 mg/dl), whereas there were no significant differences with respect to BMI and weight gain during pregnancy. There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding HOMA-IR values and fetal birth weight. On the contrary of the literature knowledge we did not detect any relation between increase in BMI and excessive weight gain, and negative feto-maternal effects in the present study. However better and more strict antenatal follow-up and appropriately timing of diabetes treatment may have contributed to the decrease in negative feto-maternal results.