Aims/hypothesis  

In this study we investigated whether chronic fetal hypoxia, as indicated by amniotic fluid erythropoietin levels, is associated with perinatal morbidity in Type 1 diabetic pregnancies.

Methods  

A total of 331 women with Type 1 diabetes had at least one childbirth between 1995 and 2000. The amniotic fluid erythropoietin concentration was measured in 156 diabetic singleton pregnancies at a median time of 1 day before Caesarean section without labour contractions and in 19 healthy control subjects at Caesarean section.

Results  

The median amniotic fluid erythropoietin level was 14.0 mU/ml (range 2.0–1975.0) in diabetic pregnancies and 6.3 mU/ml (range 1.7–13.7) in controls (p<0.0001). Of the 156 diabetic patients, 21 (13.5%) had amniotic fluid erythropoietin levels higher than 63.0 mU/ml. Amniotic fluid erythropoietin levels correlated negatively with umbilical artery pH (r=–0.49, p<0.0001) and pO₂ (r=–0.62, p<0.0001) at birth and neonatal lowest blood glucose level (r=–0.47, p<0.0001). Positive correlations were found between amniotic fluid erythropoietin levels and umbilical artery pCO₂ (r=0.49, p<0.0001) and last maternal HbA₁c (r=0.43, p<0.0001). Furthermore, a U-shaped correlation was demonstrated between amniotic fluid erythropoietin levels and birthweight z score (z score below –0.6 SD units: r=–0.63, p=0.0007; z score above +1.0 SD units: r=0.32, p=0.0014). Neonatal hypoglycaemia, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit occurred significantly more often in cases with high amniotic fluid erythropoietin levels (>63.0 mU/ml) than in those with normal levels. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that amniotic fluid erythropoietin was the only variable independently related to low umbilical artery pH (<7.21; p<0.0001) and neonatal hypoglycaemia (p=0.002). Low umbilical artery pO₂ (<15.0 mm Hg) was explained by amniotic fluid erythropoietin (p<0.0001) and birthweight z score (p=0.004).

Conclusions/interpretation  

Antenatal high amniotic fluid erythropoietin levels can identify Type 1 diabetic pregnancies at increased risk of severe perinatal complications.