Maternal mean arterial pressure and oral glucose tolerance test results. Relationship in normotensive women.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the relationship between oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results and maternal mean arterial pressure (MAP) throughout pregnancy in normotensive women.

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective study was performed on 84 pregnant women with normal and abnormal antenatal OGTT results who delivered in a 12-month period to determine the changes in MAP and its relationships with the OGTT values.

RESULTS

MAP was increased from 28 weeks until delivery in gestational diabetics (n = 50) as compared with controls (n = 34). The OGTT fasting glucose value significantly correlated with MAP at 32 and 36 weeks, while the 2-hour glucose value correlated with MAP at 24 weeks and from 32 weeks until predelivery. Only the 2-hour glucose values from 32 weeks until delivery correlated with MAP when body mass index was controlled for.

CONCLUSION

Progressive glucose intolerance is associated with an upward shift in blood pressure in the third trimester of pregnancy in normotensive women. Blood pressure changes below the diagnostic threshold for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy may help to identify women at increased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus.