Low Blood Sugar Before Pregnancy May Raise Risk of Preterm Birth, Low Birth Weight: Study Finds
Women with low blood sugar levels before conception may face an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, according to a new study published in PLOS Medicine. The large-scale analysis draws from health data on more than 4.7 million Chinese women and sheds light on the implications of preconception hypoglycemia.
Glucose serves as the body’s primary energy source, and maintaining normal levels is essential for overall health. While the risks of high and low blood sugar during pregnancy are well-documented, little is known about the potential effects of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) before pregnancy in women without pre-existing diabetes. Previous studies have mainly focused on hypoglycemia during pregnancy, leaving a knowledge gap that this study aimed to fill.
Researchers conducted a retrospective analysis using data from the National Free Preconception Checkup Project, a government-supported health initiative in China. Between 2013 and 2016, they reviewed health records of 4,866,919 women planning to conceive, including 239,128 women identified with preconception hypoglycemia. Their pregnancy outcomes were then compared to those with normal blood glucose levels.
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