Assessment of glucose regulation in pregnancy after gastric bypass surgery

Aims/hypothesis Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery is characterised by glycaemic variability. Prospective studies of glucose metabolism in pregnancy after RYGB are not available, therefore this study aimed to evaluate physiological alterations in glucose metabolism in pregnancy following RYGB. Methods Sixty-three pregnant women (25 who underwent RYGB, 19 non-operated obese control women and 19 normal weight control women) were included. Frequently sampled 3 h OGTTs and 1 h IVGTTs were performed between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation and, in a subgroup, were repeated at 3–6 months after delivery. Results We observed major alterations in glucose kinetics during the OGTT, including an early increase in plasma glucose followed by hypoglycaemia in 90% of women who had previously undergone RYGB. The higher degree of glycaemic variability in this group was accompanied by increased insulin, C-peptide and glucagon concentrations after oral glucose load, whereas no differences in insulin response were observed after parenteral glucose administration (RYGB vs normal weight). IVGTT data suggested improved insulin sensitivity (mean difference 0.226 × 10−4 min−1 [pmol/l]−1 [95% CI 0.104, 0.348]; p