If the mother's plasma glucose is 200 mg/dL, what fetal plasma glucose concentration range would you expect?

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Multiple Choice

If the mother's plasma glucose is 200 mg/dL, what fetal plasma glucose concentration range would you expect?

Explanation:
Glucose moves from mother to fetus by facilitated diffusion across the placenta, so fetal plasma glucose tracks the maternal level but remains a bit lower because the fetus is continuously using glucose for its own metabolism. With a maternal glucose of 200 mg/dL, the fetal concentration typically falls around 140–160 mg/dL, reflecting a roughly 40–60 mg/dL difference due to fetal uptake. This explains why the expected fetal range is about 140–160 mg/dL rather than equal to or much higher than the maternal value.

Glucose moves from mother to fetus by facilitated diffusion across the placenta, so fetal plasma glucose tracks the maternal level but remains a bit lower because the fetus is continuously using glucose for its own metabolism. With a maternal glucose of 200 mg/dL, the fetal concentration typically falls around 140–160 mg/dL, reflecting a roughly 40–60 mg/dL difference due to fetal uptake. This explains why the expected fetal range is about 140–160 mg/dL rather than equal to or much higher than the maternal value.

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