Comparison of Hemoglobin Concentration and Body Iron Stores in Normal Pregnancy and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is most common health problem during pregnancy and women with GDM are at high risk for development of diabetes mellitus type-2. The disease causes substantial morbidity and mortality and long term complications. Since some studies indicated that high maternal hemoglobin and body iron store were an independent risk factor for gestational diabetes. The aim of study was to compare hemoglobin concentration and body iron stores in women with gestational diabetes mellitus and normal pregnant women. This case- control study was performed on 200 pregnant who admitted to Shahid Yahyanejad hospital of Babol town, Iran during 2007-2008. For every sample of GDM diagnosed by OGTT impaired based on criteria (Carpenter & Coustan) a control sample of routine pregnancy care was selected. In this study 100 women with GDM were compared with 100 healthy pregnant women with normal Oral Glucose Tolerance test (GTT). Two groups were matched for age, gestational age, parity and referred center. Hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit and iron status measurements including ferritin, serum iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC) were assessed and compared between two groups at the third trimester. In this study, the mean of hemoglobin concentration was 12.17±1.28 and 11.63±2.42 in GDM and control groups, respectively and mean of serum ferritin was 52.10±47.23 and 30.36±23.27 in GDM and control groups, respectively. Hemoglobin concentration and serum ferritin after adjusted BMI were significantly higher in GDM group as compared with controls at the third trimester (p<0.05). The mean serum iron concentration was 95.75±41.14 and 91.48±31.80 in GDM and control groups, respectively that showed no significant differences and TIBC was 354.55±40.47 and 353.02±51.10 in GDM and control groups, respectively. Hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit and serum ferritin were higher in GDM than normal pregnancy. Therefore it requires more careful in prescribing iron supplementation to all pregnant women regarding to status of hemoglobin and serum iron status.