Serum 1, 5-AG decreases in pregnant diabetics during pregnancy. To determine the reason for this we measured serum 1, 5-AG in 61 pregnant diabetics at delivery and in the cord vessels of their newborn infants by gas chromatography.
The average level of serum 1, 5-AG at delivery in 30 normal pregnant women was 10.4±5.0mg/l, whereas in pregnant diabetics it was 3.4±1.9mg/l.
The average level of cord serum 1, 5-AG in the newborn infants of normal pregnant women was 10.7±5.0mg/l, whereas in pregnant diabetics it was 3.8±1.9 mg/l. There was a significant positive correlation between maternal serum 1, 5-AG levels at delivery and the cord serum 1, 5-AG levels of their newborn infants.
The 1, 5-AG levels in maternal serum at delivery and cord serum in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) were lower in the case of heavy-for-dates (HFD) infants than appropriate-for dates (AFD) infants. There was a negative correlation between cord serum 1, 5-AG levels and the birth weight of the newborn infants of NIDDM mothers.
These data suggest that maternal 1, 5-AG crosses the placenta and is related to the growth of the fetuses of NIDDM mothers.