Growth‐Differentiation‐Factor 15 Levels In Obese And Healthy Pregnancies: Relation To Insulin Resist

In women of normal weight (NW) and in women with obesity (OB), researchers longitudinally measured serum growth‐differentiation‐factor 15 (GDF15) levels during and after pregnancy to explore links between GDF15 and changes in beta‐cell function by homeostatic model assessment (HOMA). The cohort candidates were 38 NW (BMI 22.3 ± 1.7) and 35 OB (BMI 35.8 ± 4.2) patients. At each trimester (T1, T2, and T3) and at 6, 12, and 18 months postpartum, blood was sampled and the body composition was measured. They evaluated fasting glucose, insulin, and GDF15, and calculated HOMA for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and beta cell function (HOMA-B). The GDF15 levels increased significantly in each trimester and were around 200‐fold higher in T3 than in postpartum non-pregnant state. During pregnancy, GDF15 was higher in NW than OB but was reversed with a major interaction impact after pregnancy. At T3, GDF15 was inversely associated with BMI and fat-free mass. Low GDF15 was linked to lower nausea incidence and with carrying a male fetus. The pregnancy-induced increase in GDF15 related to increased HOMA‐B in OB, and with decreased fasting glucose in all women. In order to overcome pregnancy-induced insulin resistance, high gestational upregulation of GDF15 levels can help increase insulin secretory function.

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