Maternal FPG levels during pregnancy predict refractive errors, astigmatism in preschoolers

During pregnancy, high levels of maternal fasting plasma glucose (FPG) trajectories appear to contribute to refractive error, hypermetropia, and astigmatism in children at 6 years of age, reveals a recent study.

“The first and the second trimesters may be critical periods for the effects of maternal blood glucose on children's vision,” the authors said.

A total of 1,987 mother-child pairs, based on the Ma’anshan Birth Cohort in China, were included in this study. The authors used the group-based trajectory model to carry out trajectory fitting on FPG levels during the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy.

Using the standard logarithmic visual acuity E-chart and cycloplegic refraction examination, children’s vision was measured at the age of 6 years. The association between maternal blood glucose level and 6-year visual acuity in children was explored using logistic regression models and multi-informant generalized estimating equations.

Children born of mothers with high level of FPG trajectory were more likely to develop refractive error (odds ratio [OR], 1.46, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.08‒1.97), hypermetropia (OR, 1.64, 95 percent CI, 1.09‒2.46), and astigmatism (OR, 1.60, 95 percent CI, 1.06‒2.41) at age 6 than those with low level of FPG trajectory.

In addition, maternal blood glucose level in the first (β, ‒0.012, 95 percent CI, ‒0.024 to ‒0.001) and the second (β, ‒0.016, 95 percent CI, ‒0.025 to ‒0.006) trimesters significantly correlated with distance vision value in children at 6 years of age.

“The long-term effect of maternal glucose metabolism on children's visual development deserves further study,” the authors said.