Increased maternal serum aquaporin 9 levels in pregnancies complicated with gestational diabetes mellitus

Introduction This study aimed to examine maternal serum aquaporin 9 levels in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus and to compare them with non-diabetic pregnant women. Methods Forty-one pregnant women between 37 and 39 weeks of gestation complicated with gestational diabetes mellitus and 39 non-diabetic pregnant women at similar gestational weeks without additional obstetric complications were included in this cross-sectional study. Maternal serum aquaporin 9 levels and leptin levels of the cases were measured. Results Maternal serum leptin and aquaporin 9 levels in pregnant women with GDM were found to be significantly higher than in the control group (p < .001). In the study group, first-minute Apgar scores were significantly lower and birth weight significantly higher (p = .001 and .005, respectively). A weak but significant positive correlation between aquaporin 9 levels and maternal body mass index (r = 0.279, p = .012), birth weight (r = 0.433, p < .001), and hemoglobin A1c (r = 0.354, p = .001) levels was detected. A significant positive correlation was detected between maternal serum aquaporin 9 levels and leptin levels (r = 0.331, p = .003). Conclusion The increased aquaporin 9 levels detected in cases with gestational diabetes mellitus might be a marker of the poor maternal metabolic environment specific to diabetes and might contribute to the pathophysiology of gestational diabetes.