Thinking of motherhood? In a new study, continuous glucose monitors improved pregnant women’s blood glucose control and lowered their babies’ birth weight. Pregnant women on CGMs (in this case, the type that can only be read in a doctor’s office) had a mean A1C of 5.8 percent and delivered babies weighing an average of 7.4 pounds--compared with 6.4 percent and 8 pounds for those women not using the device. Women with diabetes have a greater risk of high birth weight babies (macrosomia) and related complications. In addition, keeping maternal blood glucose levels in check reduces the long-term risk of a child developing insulin resistance, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. The researchers postulate that since CGMs are better able to pinpoint hyperglycemic spikes, they allow mothers and doctors to tailor therapy in such a way as to reduce these peaks.
Source: British Medical Journal, published online Sept. 25, 2008