Comparative study of thyroid hormone and antithyroid antibody levels in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus and pregnant patients with diabetes.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of thyroid hormone and antithyroid antibodies and their relationship with pregnancy outcome in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and diabetic patients.

METHODS: Fifty patients with GDM and 50 pregnant patients with diabetes were selected. Their levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycosylated hemoglobin, FT3, FT4, TGab, TSH, TPOab were measured until parturition.

RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in the age, gestational age, weight, FBG and glycosylated hemoglobin between the two groups (P>0.05). The levels of FT3 and FT4 in patients with GDM were significantly lower than those in diabetic pregnant patients, while the levels of TSH, TGab, TPOab of GDM patients were significantly higher than in diabetic pregnant patients (P<0.05). The total incidence rates of premature delivery, post-term birth and cesarean section in patients with GDM were significantly higher than those in diabetic pregnant patients. At six-month follow-up, the intellectual levels of infants delivered by patients with GDM were significantly lower than those of diabetic pregnant patients (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: The levels of thyroid hormones and related antibodies in patients with GDM were abnormal, which may have affected outcome of pregnancy and the intellectual level of their infants.