Study on free amino acid concentrations in umbilical cord blood plasma of newborns from normoglycaemic and gestational diabetes-complicated pregnancies

Introduction and objective. Gestational diabetes mellitus is a common disease among pregnant women. The aim of the study was to compare plasma concentrations of 24 amino acids in umbilical cord blood in newborns from normoglycaemic pregnancies versus those complicated by gestational diabetes. The relationship between birth weight and length of newborns and placental concentrations of individual amino acids were also assessed. Material and methods. The study comprised 76 pregnant women at the gestational age of 37 weeks and more. The control group consisted of 31 women whose 75-g glucose load test excluded gestational diabetes mellitus. The study group encompassed 45 women with diagnosed gestational diabetes mellitus. The placental plasma concentrations of 24 amino acids were determined using ion-exchange chromatography with an automated amino acid analyser. Results. The concentrations of cysteic acid, aspartic acid, threonine, glutamic acid, cystine, and alpha-aminobutyric acid in umbilical cord blood plasma were higher in the group complicated by gestational diabetes compared to normoglycemic pregnancies; otherwise, concentrations of glutamine, alanine, valine, phenylalanine, lysine and, arginine were lower in the group complicated by gestational diabetes than in the normoglycaemic group. Conclusions. The results show that despite optimal control of carbohydrate metabolism during gestational diabetes mellitus, there are many abnormalities in the amino acids metabolism. This suggests that research on the effects of amino acids concentration in umbilical cord blood on the foetal development in gestational diabetes-complicated pregnancies should be continued.