European Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine

Introduction:Gestational diabetes is a condition that affects many pregnant women and can have negative impacts on both the mother and the baby. To manage this condition, it is essential to keep track of blood glucose levels and lipid profiles. This study aims to compare the changes in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and lipid profile parameters between women with gestational diabetes and those without, to improve diagnostic and management strategies for this condition. The study found that HbA1c is an independent marker of dyslipidemia among women with gestational diabetes, highlighting the connection between these parameters in pregnant women in Bihar. Materials and Methods: We conducted a comparative study including fifty pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes during their third trimester, and another fifty pregnant women who did not have gestational diabetes or any pregnancy complications during their third trimester, chosen at random from the age group of 20 to 45 years. We measured the serum lipid profile parameters, oral glucose tolerance test blood glucose levels, and glycosylated haemoglobin levels in patients with gestational diabetes, and compared them with those of healthy pregnant women. Results: In this study, 50 pregnant women with GDM had a mean age of 31.2 years, while 50 pregnant women in the healthy control group had a mean age of 29.3 years. In the present study, serum triglycerides were observed at 191.7±9.10 mg/dL in GDM cases and 149.9±7.89mg/dL in the control group, while serum total cholesterol was observed at 212.7±15.26 mg/dL in GDM cases and 170.2±18.92 mg/dL in the control group. The levels of serum triglycerides and serum cholesterol in GDM cases were statistically significantly higher as compared to the controls. In the present study, the serum HDL cholesterol was observed at 57.75±4.9 mg/dL in GDM cases and 55.53±6.60 mg/dL in the control group, while serum LDL cholesterol was observed at 90.2±13.23 mg/dL in GDM cases and 82.19±9.14 mg/dL in the control group. There was no statistically significant difference in their HDL Cholesterol in the cases and control group, while the difference between LDL cholesterol was statistically significant. The differences of fasting blood glucose, and blood glucose at 1 hour and 2 hours in cases and controls were statistically significant. The mean value of the HbA1c of cases and control groups was 8.19±1.09 mg/dL and 6.01±0.18 mg/dL respectively. This difference between healthy pregnant women and women with GDM was statistically significant. Conclusion: The findings of the study have provided conclusive evidence that the levels of triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, glycated haemoglobin, and glucose in the blood significantly contribute to the development of dyslipidemia in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Even though it is common knowledge that lipid parameters increase during a healthy pregnancy, the way they increase in GDM differs.