Aim. Adiponectin is an insulin sensitizing protein. Because gestational diabetes mellitus is associated with insulin resistance, we compared serum adiponectin levels in women with gestational diabetes mellitus and healthy pregnant women.

Study design. Twenty-nine women with gestational diabetes and 26 women with impaired glucose tolerance were compared with 27 normal pregnant women in control group. Controls were matched for gestational age, age and body mass index (BMI) before pregnancy with two other groups. At 28 weeks of gestation serum concentration of adiponectin, insulin and insulin resistance (calculated by the homeostasis model assessment) were measured in three groups.

Main findings. The serum adiponectin level in gestational diabetes (6379.31 ± 1934.90 ng/ml), was significantly lower than the impaired glucose tolerance test (7384.61 ± 1626.70 ng/ml) and control groups (7962.96 ± 2667.20 ng/ml),(p = 0.02). Serum level of insulin and HOMA index in gestational diabetes were higher than the normal group (p > 0.05). In patients with gestational diabetes, there was a significant correlation between serum adiponectin level and BMI before pregnancy (r = −0.531, p = 0.013). Also, the correlation between maternal serum adiponectin levels and neonatal birth weight was not significant (r = −0.07, p value = 0.73).

Conclusion. Our data show that serum adiponectin level was significantly lower in gestational diabetes in comparison with healthy pregnant women.