Blood viscosity and erythrocyte deformability in gestational diabetes

Hemorheological properties were investigated in 15 gestational diabetics and compared with those in 20 normal pregnant patients at 37 weeks gestation. Whole blood viscosity in gestational diabetes was increased significantly. Erythrocyte deformability measured by a filtration method was decreased significantly in gestational diabetes. A hypothesis that placental hypertrophy observed in gestational diabetes might be produced as a compensatory reaction to hypoxia caused by intervillous microcirculatory disturbance due to the abnormal hemorheology was proposed.