Glucose Levels and Outcomes in Women - Mid Pregnancy

Up to 75% of reproductive age women are overweight, 40% are considered obese, and the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) continues to rise, from 6% to 8.3% between 2016 and 2021. Currently understood GDM risk factors, such as advanced maternal age, prior history of GDM, family history of diabetes, and socioeconomic status can only explain up to 50% of cases. Related factors such as body image dissatisfaction, eating behaviors, and daily stress exposure have been linked to blood sugar metabolization, pregnancy outcomes, and the normative physiological changes that occur during pregnancy. These interrelated mechanisms may serve as additional risk factors that could help identify other women at risk of GDM. This project aims to investigate how body image dissatisfaction, eating behaviors, and daily stress exposure are associated with the metabolization of blood sugar during pregnancy.

In this study the Strahm Lab will recruit 50 pregnant women to participate in a study assessing blood sugar metabolization as it is related to stress, body image dissatisfaction, and eating behaviors. The study will use continuous glucose monitoring in concert with an ecological momentary assessment protocol to assess these interrelated factors over the course of 10 days between 14 and 28 weeks gestation.

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Key information

Conditions

Pregnancy

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Observational

Primary location

North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

At least 18 years old
Healthy single baby pregnancy
14 to 28 weeks of pregnancy

Exclusion criteria

history of diabetes
history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM)
history of cardiac disease
history of endocrine disease
assistive reproductive technology (IVF)

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

Continuous Blood Glucose via Dexcom G7

Time frame: 10 days

Participant will wear a Dexcom G7 CGM for 10 days to measure blood glucose levels (mg/dL)
Body Image in Pregnancy Scale (BIPS)

Time frame: 10 days

Participants will complete the full Body Image in Pregnancy Scale (BIPS) once prior to the start of the 10 day CGM/momentary assessment period and once at the end. The full BIPS scale is 36 items. It assesses body image dissatisfaction. Participants rate each item from one (strongly disagree) to five (strongly agree). Generally, lower scores indicate higher body satisfaction, while higher scores indicate higher levels of pregnancy-related body dissatisfaction/stress due to body image.

Participants will receive 8 items from the scale to assess preoccupation with physical appearance and sexual attractiveness, prioritization of physical appearance over body functioning, appearance related behavioral avoidance, and dissatisfaction with body parts at least 5 times each day during the 10 day CGM/momentary assessment period. The full BIPS will be completed in REDCap. Momentary assessments will be completed via Real Time Assessment In the Natural Environment (ReTAINE).

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Grace Biermann, MPH

CONTACT

[email protected]

605-312-6457

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Sanford Health

Other

Collaborators

North Dakota State University

Registry information

Acronym: GLOW

Important dates

Study start: 2026
Primary completion: 2027
Study completion: 2028
First posted: May 20, 2026
Registry last updated: May 20, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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