ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SERUM IRON AND FERRITIN AND GESTATIONAL DIABETES MELLITUS

Pregnancy is a condition that favors oxidative stress mostly because of the mitochondria-rich placenta. Transitional metals, especially Iron, which is particularly abundant in the placenta, are important in the production of free radicals. Also studies showed that free radicals has a role in GDM. This study was performed to compare Iron status between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) patients and control groups. As a case- control study 34 women with GDM were compared with 34 Healthy women matched for referred center, age, parity and BMI. Iron status measurements including ferritin, serum iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), hemoglobin, MCV and MCH at 24-28 weeks of pregnancy were assessed and compared between two groups. In this study, concentration of serum ferritin, Iron, transferin saturation and hemoglobin, MCV and MCH were significantly higher in GDM group and TIBC was significantly lower in this group as compared with controls (P<0.05). No significant association was observed in other variables including familial history of diabetes and GDM Our findings indicate an association between increased Iron status and GDM. The role of excess Iron from Iron supplementation in the pathogenesis of GDM needs to be examined.