INTRODUCTION: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is the most common endocrinopathy in pregnant women. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between changes in complete blood count parameters, a common and inexpensive test, and GDM.
METHODS: In this retrospective study, changes in the complete blood count parameters of pregnant women who underwent a 75-gram oral glucose tolerance test at 24–28 weeks of gestation between October 2021 and October 2022 were compared with healthy pregnant women.
RESULTS: A total of 424 pregnant women were included in the study. Of these, 107 (25.2%) were in the GDM group, and 317 (74.8%) were in the control group. The levels of white blood cell, neutrophil, red blood cell, hemoglobin, and hematocrit were higher in the GDM group (p=0.015, 0.02, 0.025, 0.01, 0.000). Basophil and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) levels were found to be lower in GDM patients (p=0.029, 0.009). Logistic regression analyses showed relationships between age, basophil, MCHC, and hematocrit levels. ROC analyses of the relevant blood parameters showed low sensitivity or specificity.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Complete blood count parameters are affected in GDM patients, but clinical use seems challenging. Advanced age is also associated with an increased GDM risk.