Perinatal outcomes in pregnancies with one abnormal oral glucose tolerance test value: a retrospective cohort study

To compare perinatal, neonatal, and early childhood outcomes among pregnant women classified into three groups based on oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results: gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), normal glucose tolerance, and one abnormal OGTT value.

This single-center retrospective cohort study included singleton pregnancies screened between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation and delivered at the same institution. Participants were categorized into GDM, normal glucose tolerance, or one abnormal OGTT value. Maternal demographic data, obstetric outcomes, neonatal outcomes [birth weight, Apgar scores, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission], and early childhood developmental data were collected retrospectively from hospital records. Statistical analyses were performed using the Kruskal-Wallis and chi-square tests.

The study included 292 pregnancies categorized into GDM (n=28), normal glucose tolerance (n=224), or one abnormal OGTT value (n=40). Women in the GDM group were significantly older and had higher gravidity and parity than those in the normal glucose tolerance group (p=0.01 and p=0.003, respectively). No significant differences were observed between the groups in terms of birth weight (p=0.651) or NICU admission rates (p=0.29). Although NICU admission rates were higher in the GDM group (12.5%) and in the group with one abnormal OGTT value (10.0%) than in the normal glucose tolerance group (5.8%), these differences did not reach statistical significance. No clinically meaningful differences were identified during early childhood follow-up.

Pregnant women with one abnormal OGTT value did not differ significantly from those with GDM or normal glucose tolerance in terms of adverse perinatal outcomes. Larger prospective studies are required to guide clinical management.