Correlation between plasma ferritin level and gestational diabetes mellitus and its impact on fetal macrosomia

To explore the relationship between plasma iron levels and gestational diabetes mellitus, as well as its impact on macrosomia.

We retrospectively compared ferritin level and other characteristics between pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and pregnant women without GDM. The correlation between the levels of plasma ferritin, glucose and hemoglobin was explored. Meanwhile, we assessed the risk factors of macrosomia. Furthermore, we explored the relationship between ferritin level and the incidence of macrosomia.

A total of 793 pregnant women were enrolled in the present study, of which 92 pregnant women had GDM and 701 pregnant women were healthy. Meanwhile, 51 pregnant women gave birth to infants with macrosomia and another 742 women had normal infants. Compared with non-GDM women, pregnant women with GDM were older, with higher pre-pregnancy body mass index, plasma ferritin, fasting plasma glucose, 1-h postprandial glucose, 2-h plasma glucose and hemoglobin. In addition, our results showed a significant positive correlation between the levels of ferritin and fasting plasma glucose when ferritin levels were >70 ng/mL. Our results also showed that pre-pregnancy overweight or obesity, a high concentration of ferritin, as well as abnormal levels of fasting plasma glucose, 1-h plasma glucose and 2 h plasma glucose were risk factors for macrosomia. Furthermore, as the level of ferritin increased, so did the incidence of macrosomia.

The current study provides evidence that pregnant women with high levels of ferritin might be prone to GDM. In addition, a high level of ferritin might be an independent risk factor for macrosomia. Therefore, the negative effect of iron supplementation in non-anemic pregnant women might be noteworthy.