OBJECTIVEThe Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome (HAPO) study found strong associations between higher levels of maternal glucose at 24–32 weeks, within what is currently considered normoglycemia and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Our aim was to evaluate the associations between first-trimester fasting plasma glucose level and adverse pregnancy outcomes.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSCharts of all patients who delivered at our hospital between June 2001 and June 2006 were reviewed. Only subjects with singleton pregnancy and a recorded first-trimester fasting glucose level were included. Women with pregestational diabetes, fasting glucose level >105 mg/dl, or delivery <24 weeks were excluded. Fasting glucose levels were analyzed in seven categories, similar to the HAPO study. The main outcomes were development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), large-for-gestational-age (LGA) neonates and/or macrosomia, and primary cesarean section. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used; significance was <0.05.RESULTSA total of 6,129 women had a fasting glucose test at median of 9.5 weeks. There were strong, graded associations between fasting glucose level and primary outcomes. The frequency of GDM development increased from 1.0% in the lowest glucose category to 11.7% in the highest (adjusted odds ratio 11.92 [95% CI 5.39–26.37]). The frequency of LGA neonates and/or macrosomia increased from 7.9 to 19.4% (2.82 [1.67–4.76]). Primary cesarean section rate increased from 12.7 to 20.0% (1.94 [1.11–3.41]).CONCLUSIONSHigher first-trimester fasting glucose levels, within what is currently considered a nondiabetic range, increase the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Early detection and treatment of women at high risk for these complications might improve pregnancy outcome.
IMPORTANCE BNT162b2 messenger RNA (mRNA) COVID-19 vaccination in the third trimester was found to be associated with a strong maternal humoral IgG response that crossed the placenta and approached maternal titers in the newborn.OBJECTIVE To evaluate maternal and neonatal SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody levels at birth after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination during the second trimester of pregnancy.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTSThis prospective cohort study, conducted at a single medical center in Haifa, Israel, from May to July 2021, included women with a singleton pregnancy over 24 weeks of gestation at least 7 days after receipt of their second COVID-19 vaccine dose who were not known to be previously infected with COVID-19.EXPOSURES BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech) vaccination.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURESThe primary outcomes were SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody titers measured in the parturient at admission and in the umbilical cord blood within 30 minutes after delivery. Secondary outcomes were the correlation between antibody titers, feto-maternal characteristics, maternal adverse effects after vaccination, and time interval from vaccination to delivery. RESULTS Antibody levels were measured for 129 women (mean [SD] age, 31.9 [4.9] years) and 114 neonates, with 100% of the tests having positive results. The mean (SD) gestational age at administration of the second vaccine dose was 24.9 (3.3) weeks. Neonatal IgG titers were 2.6 times higher than maternal titers (median [range], 3315.7 [350.1-17 643.5] AU/mL vs 1185.2 [146.6-32 415.1] AU/mL). A positive correlation was demonstrated between maternal and neonatal antibodies (r = 0.92; 95% CI, 0.89-0.94). Multivariable analysis revealed that for each week that passed since receipt of the second vaccine dose, maternal and neonatal antibody levels changed by −10.9% (95% CI, −17.2% to −4.2%; P = .002) and −11.7% (95% CI, −19.0 to −3.8%; P = .005), respectively. For each 1-year increase in the mother's age, maternal and neonatal antibody levels changed by −3.1% (95% CI, −5.3% to −0.9%; P = .007) and −2.7% (95% CI, −5.2% to −0.1%; P = .04), respectively.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCEIn this cohort study, receipt of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine during the second trimester of pregnancy was associated with maternal and neonatal humoral responses, as reflected in maternal and neonatal SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody levels measured after delivery. These findings support COVID-19 vaccination of pregnant individuals during the second trimester to achieve maternal protection and newborn safety during the pandemic.
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