MF Villacorta, MS, RD; C.B. Hollenbeck, PhD; YM, Gutierrez, PhD, RD; L. McProud, PhD, RD. San Jose State University, San Jose &
Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of breastfeeding on day long glucose regulation during the three months postpartum in Latino women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Eighteen Mexican - American women from the California Diabetes and Pregnancy Program with a diagnosis of GDM participated in the study. Capillary plasma glucose was measured five times per day, three days per week during the entire 3-month study period. Random capillary plasma blood glucose levels from the day of delivery were obtained from medical records. Maternal weights were assessed at 6 weeks and 12 weeks postpartum. Blood glucose was measured 5 times per day, 3-day per week and defined as ambient blood glucose (AMBG). Repeated measurements were analyzed using a general linear model and the means were compared using independent t-test. Thirteen women chose to exclusively breastfeed (BF) and 5 women chose to exclusively formula-feed (FF). Blood glucose levels on the day of delivery were not significantly different between the groups. Both groups gained wt over the 3-month period but did not differ significantly. Fasting blood glucose levels (FBG) increased significantly over time in both groups. There were significant differences in fasting plasma glucose and rate of change in fasting glucose concentrations between the two groups. The rate of change in FBG increased at a lower rate in the BF group (0.836 mg/dl/wk; P = 0.008) than in the FF group (1.94 mg/dl/wk; P = 0.002). AMBG levels were significantly lower in the BF group than the FF group over the 3 - month period and increased significantly over time. The rate of change in AMBG for the BF group was 0.50 mg/dl/wk vs 0.69 mg/dl/wk for the FF group. These data demonstrate that breastfeeding slows the normal rise in blood glucose levels observed in FF women during the first 3 months postpartum, and suggest that it may provide protection for Latino women with previous history of GDM. These data add clarity of the regulation of glucose regulation in the immediate months postpartum in Latino women with GDM, and provides the impetus to encourage breastfeeding in this group.

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