Increased hemoglobin Alc in mothers of overweight babies.

Hb Alc levels in diabetics are well correlated with their succesful control. These levels were studied on women who had normal oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT), but had delivered overweight (> 4500g) babies, and were compared to normal controls and to diabetic women controlled with oral antidiabetic agents or insulin. In total 117 women were studied. Women who had delivered newborns with normal weight had a mean Hb Alc of 8,01±0,19% on their 7th post partum day. Women who had delivered overweight babies had Hb Alc of 10,37±0,43% (p<0,001), although their OGTT were normal. Their insulin levels were higher than normal and there was a delay in achieving basal values. Diabetic non pregnant women succesfully treated with diet only, had Hb Alc levels of 10,75±0,62%; treated with oral drugs only 10,83±0,63%; pregnant women treated with insulin 13,31±1,27%. The determinations of Hb Alc in mothers with overweight babies may be a sensitive parameter for the early discovery of carbohydrate intolerance.