Maternal Lifestyle and Neonatal Hypoglycemia

Hospital dos Servidores do Estado do Rio de Janeiro

Status

Completed

Conditions

Hypoglycemia

Hyperinsulinemia

Sedentary Lifestyle

Pregnancy

Miscarriages

Treatments

Behavioral: Daily brisk walking plus a carbohydrate-restricted diet

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT01409382

000416-09-08-2010

Details and patient eligibility

About

tPA has a pivotal role in placentation, mediationg activation of growth factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, degradation of extracellular matrix and basement membrane (directly or through activation of matrix metalloproteinases) and formation of hemidesmosomes.

A high-carbohydrate intake combined with lack of physical activity provides a strong stimulus for maternal insulin production. In this scenario, either β-cells are dysfunctional and diabetes supervenes, or excessive amounts of insulin are produced, providing pathological stimulation of PAI-1 synthesis. Given that PAI-1 is a major tPA inhibitor, PAI-1 excess may affect placentation, increasing the risk of first trimester losses, preterm deliveries and intrauterine growth restriction.

Our hypothesis was that prematurity was not the cause of neonatal hypoglycemia, but a parallel occurrence of a strong stimulus for maternal, fetal and neonatal production of insulin.

Full description

In an observational study, we sought to determine whether markers of hyperinsulinemia or situations that increase maternal insulin requirements would increase the risk of neonatal hypoglycemia. Mothers were selected if they had grade III obesity, acanthosis nigricans (surrogates of chronic maternal hyperinsulinemia), any invasive bacterial infection or if they had used corticosteroid within seven days before delivery (surrogates of subacute insulin resistance), if they reported to have consumed a high-glycemic index diet within 24 hours before delivery or if they were physically inactive within 24 hours before delivery (conditions that could increase maternal insulin requirements close to delivery).

Based on the finding that that the risk of neonatal hypoglycemia increased fivefold with inactivity (95% CI: 2-11, P <0.001), 11-fold with high-carbohydrate intake (95% CI: 4-24, P <0.001) and 329-fold with both risk factors (95% CI: 32-3362, P <0.001), next we have evaluated how a protocol combining exercises and a balanced diet throughout pregnancy influences maternal and neonatal outcomes. One of the outcomes analyzed was neonatal hypoglycemia.

Enrollment

480 patients

Sex

All

Ages

Under 40 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: recurrent early unexplained miscarriages Exclusion criteria: (i) antiphospholipid antibodies, (ii) second- or third-trimester losses, (iii) multiple pregnancy, (iv) anatomical abnormalities that could increase the risk of early miscarriages, (iv) any condition requiring a priori anticoagulation, (v) protocol violation.