Glycosylated haemoglobin and glycosylated albumin in non-diabetic and diabetic mothers, and their babies.

Glycosylated haemoglobin (GHb), glycosylated albumin (GAlb), and blood glucose were measured from 283 non-diabetic, 7 insulin-dependent diabetic, and 5 gestational diabetic mothers, and in the cord blood of their babies. Significant correlation was found between mother and baby for GHb (r = 0.31) and GAlb (r = 0.42). However, GHb, GAlb and glucose concentration were significantly higher in maternal blood compared to cord blood (p less than 0.001). Only GAlb showed any difference between a pregnant and a non-pregnant population (p less than 0.001). All three parameters were significantly higher in the diabetic mothers compared to the non-diabetic mothers (p less than 0.001). No difference was found between the levels of GHb and GAlb in babies from these two groups. There was no difference in the level of GHb between gestational and insulin-dependent mothers although the latter showed a significantly higher blood glucose (p less than 0.05).