EXPERT-GDM: Pilot Sudy
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Contribution of energy EXPEnditure to post-paRTum weight retention in women following GDM pregnancy (EXPERT-GDM): Pilot study
IRAS ID
287757
Contact name
Ponnusamy Saravanan
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Warwick
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 8 months, 1 days
Research summary
Nearly half of pregnant women in the UK are overweight or obese, which is associated with higher risk of diabetes in pregnancy (known as gestational diabetes mellitus, GDM). After delivery, women retain on average 1 to 3.5kg pregnancy weight, which may be related to changes in their metabolic rate. However it is still not proven what happens to the metabolic rate of women with GDM during and straight after pregnancy or what is the best way to measure this accurately. Based on our prior work, using estimated calculations of metabolic rate, we hypothesise that smaller increase in resting metabolic rate towards the end of pregnancy contributes to higher weight retention after delivery in women with GDM.
In this pilot study, we will measure the metabolic rate of 6 women with GDM thrice during pregnancy and see if it is related to weight retention at 3 months after delivery. We will also monitor physical activity and estimate food intake. The studies will be done in the fully equipped Human Metabolism Research Unit (HMRU) in University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire (UHCW).
Metabolic rate will be measured by a test called indirect calorimetry using 2 different methods: 1) wearing a facial hood and 2) in a dedicated room called a whole body calorimeter. The former is of shorter duration (~2 hours) but some participants may feel claustrophobic with the hood. The latter method will be done for ~5 hours in this pilot study but can take up to 12 hours for more detailed measurements. This may or may not be feasible for women if they are pregnant or have a newborn baby, particularly if they are breastfeeding. One important aspect of our study will be to evaluate participants’ experience with both methods in focus group meetings, which will be used to design the larger study.
REC name
West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/WM/0102
Date of REC Opinion
26 Apr 2021
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion