Carbohydrate profiles in two groups of mothers with differing perinatal mortality

Summary

In Leicestershire, Asian vegetarian mothers produce smaller babies and have a higher perinatal mortality rate compared with others. In contrasting 24-hour glucose profiles of Asian vegetarian women with European women on a normal diet in late pregnancy, a significantly higher mean diurnal glucose level (P < 0.01) was found in the Asian vegetarian. No significant difference between the groups was found in the diurnal pattern of lactic acid, β-hydroxybutyrate or insulin. A significant diurnal pattern of human placental lactogen (HPL) was found in both groups, with high levels in the early morning compared to the early afternoon. HPL was highest when glucose and insulin were at their lowest.