The impact of pre-pregnancy body mass index on the risk of gestational diabetes

Objective: To evaluate the effect of pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) on the risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in a large unselected population. Methods: We performed a case control study using data collected in The Consortium on Safe Labor database. The association between BMI and GDM was evaluated both using BMI weight categories adopted by the National Institute of Health, and separately using BMI as a continuous variable. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the effects of BMI, age, ethnicity, parity, chronic hypertension and antenatal steroid use on the risk of GDM. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to approximate relative risks of GDM. A p value of <0.05 was considered significant. Results: After controlling for other factors, the risk of GDM increased with an increasing BMI across all weight categories. For each 1?kg/m² increase of BMI the OR of developing GDM was 1.08 (95% CI 1.08–1.09) and for each 5?kg/m² increase, the OR was 1.48 (95% CI 1.45–1.51). Conclusions: GDM is a multifactorial disorder and pre-pregnancy BMI plays an important role in that risk. Modest changes in pre-pregnancy BMI may decrease the risk of GDM substantially.     

Vitamin C and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: a case-control study

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether low maternal dietary intake of vitamin C and low maternal plasma ascorbic acid (AA) concentrations are associated with an increased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). METHODS: Cases were 67 women with GDM meeting National Diabetes Data Group criteria. Controls were 260 women without such a diagnosis. Maternal dietary vitamin C consumption during the periconceptional period and during pregnancy was assessed using a 121-item, semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Maternal plasma AA concentrations were determined using automated enzymatic procedures on specimens collected during the intrapartum period. RESULTS: Mean maternal daily consumption of vitamin C and plasma AA concentrations were 10% and 31% lower, respectively, among GDM cases as compared with controls (130.7 +/- 10.2 vs. 145 +/- 4.9 mg/d, P = .190; 36 +/- 2.0 vs. 53 +/- 1.0 micromol/L, P <.001). After controlling for maternal age, race, prepregnancy adiposity, family history of type 2 diabetes, energy intake and income, women reporting low daily vitamin C intake (< 70 mg/d), as compared with the other women, experienced a 3.7-fold increased risk of GDM (odds ratio [OR] = 3.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7-8.2). There was a linear relation in risk of GDM with decreasing concentrations of plasma AA (P for linear trend <.001). After adjusting for confounders, women in the lowest quartile (< 42.6 micromol/L), as compared with women in the highest quartile (> 63.3 micromol/L), experienced > 12-fold increased risk of GDM (OR = 12.8, 95% CI 3.5-46.2). CONCLUSION: Low maternal dietary vitamin C intake and low plasma AA concentrations are associated with an increased risk of GDM. Large, prospective, cohort studies are needed to further evaluate the potential beneficial role of vitamin C and other antioxidants in the prevention of impaired glucose tolerance in pregnancy.     

Maternal obesity and familial history of diabetes have opposing effects on infant birth weight in women with mild glucose intolerance in pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: Pregnant women with an abnormal screening glucose challenge test (GCT) but without gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) on subsequent oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) are at increased risk of delivering macrosomic and large for gestational age (LGA) neonates. We thus sought to evaluate the maternal constitutional and biochemical factors that determine infant birth weight in this patient population. METHODS: Women with an abnormal GCT were evaluated at the time of their OGTT in late pregnancy. This analysis was restricted to Caucasian women without GDM (N = 86). Maternal demographic and biochemical factors were evaluated in relation to infant birth weight and LGA. RESULTS: After adjustment for length of gestation, birth weight was positively associated with pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) (r = 0.31, p = 0.0063) and negatively correlated with maternal serum levels of the insulin-sensitizing protein adiponectin (r = -0.30, p = 0.0084). On multiple linear regression analysis, pre-pregnancy BMI and weight gain in pregnancy were positive independent determinants of infant birth weight, while family history of diabetes emerged as a negative independent correlate. Logistic regression analysis confirmed that pre-pregnancy BMI was a positive predictor of LGA (odds ratio (OR) = 1.25, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-1.49), whereas family history of diabetes was again identified as a negative determinant (OR = 0.10, 95% CI 0.02-0.59). In contrast, neither measures of glycemia nor insulin resistance/sensitivity were independently associated with birth weight or LGA. CONCLUSION: In pregnant women with an abnormal GCT but without GDM, pre-gravid maternal obesity predicts increased infant birth weight, whereas family history of diabetes is independently associated with decreased infant size.     

Abnormal fetal growth is associated with gestational diabetes mellitus later in life: population-based register study

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence has been collected that intrauterine growth restriction is associated with development of type-2 diabetes mellitus in adult life. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that abnormal intrauterine growth of female fetuses correlates with their future risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). METHODS: Population-based register study of the data from the Swedish Medical Birth Registry; perinatal data from 1973 to 1983 were linked with the diagnosis of GDM during 1987-2001. 421 women with GDM diagnosis were compared to 60,890 controls with regard to maternal age and parity, maternal education (data from the Education Register of Statistics Sweden), maternal diagnosis of diabetes, gestational duration, birth weight, and gestational age-related birth weight. RESULTS: There was a significant association between low (odds ratio (OR): 2.15, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.29-3.50), as well as high (OR: 1.97, 95% CI: 1.12-3.45) birth weight and later development of GDM. There was a U-shaped relation between the gestational age-related birth weight and risk of developing GDM. A young mother and prematurity increased the risk of the offspring developing GDM. Nine of the 421 women (2.1%) with GDM were born to mothers who had a diagnosis of diabetes. The corresponding figures for the controls were 205 of 60,890 (0.3%). CONCLUSION: Intrauterine conditions and/or genetic disposition, which affect prenatal growth, increase the future risk of the female fetus developing GDM.     

Maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index and the risk for gestational diabetes mellitus in women with twin pregnancy in South Korea

ObjectiveTo investigate the association between maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and the risk for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in women with twin pregnancy in South Korea.Materials and methodsWe performed a single-center, retrospective cohort study involving 1028 women with twin pregnancy from January 2006 to December 2018 in South Korea. Pregnancies with monoamnionic twins, twin–twin transfusion syndrome, fetal death in utero before 24 weeks, pre-gestational diabetes mellitus, and unknown BMI or GDM status were excluded. Subjects were grouped into four groups based on pre-pregnancy BMI: underweight (<18.5 kg/m²), normal (18.5–22.9 kg/m²), overweight (23.0–24.9 kg/m²), and obese (≥25.0 kg/m²).ResultsAmong 1028 women who were included in the analysis, 169 (16.4%), 655 (63.7%), 111 (10.8%), and 93 (9.0%) women were underweight, normal, overweight, and obese, respectively, before pregnancy. The incidence of GDM was 8.9% in the total study population: 4.7%, 8.2%, 11.7%, and 17.2% in the underweight, normal, overweight, and obese group, respectively (p = 0.005). The incidence of GDM significantly increased according to the increase in pre-pregnancy BMI (p < 0.001). Women in the obese group were more likely to be affected by GDM compared to the normal group (adjusted odds ratio = 2.20, 95% confidence interval = 1.19–4.08) after controlling for maternal age, parity, type of conception, and chorionicity.ConclusionIn twin pregnancies in South Korea, the risk of GDM increased as maternal pre-pregnancy BMI increased and obese women before pregnancy were more likely to be affected by GDM.     

Gestational diabetes mellitus in women with multiple pregnancies: is the metabolic abnormality milder?

Objective: We aimed to compare maternal characteristics and dysglycemia after delivery in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) according to pregnancy being multiple (MP) or singleton (SP). The hypothesis was that women with GDM and MP would have a milder glycemic abnormality before and after pregnancy than those with SP.

Methods: We performed a cohort study of 2908 women giving birth between 1986 and 2009. Logistic regression was performed to discriminate between MP and SP after anamnestic pre-pregnancy characteristics. Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression analyses were performed to assess if MP was independently associated with both impaired fasting glucose (IFG)/impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and diabetes after delivery.

Results: Family history of diabetes was the only independent anamnestic pre-pregnancy characteristic discriminating MP versus SP, OR 2.04 (95% CI 1.12, 3.70, p 0.019). The median time to progress to IFG/IGT was 7.52 years in SP (95% CI 6.92, 8.13) and 7.41 in MP (95% CI 3.84, 10.98), ns and the progression to DM did not differ. In addition, MP was not associated to IFG/IGT or to DM in the Cox regression analysis.

Conclusions: In this cohort of women with GDM, those with MP did not demonstrate a lesser degree of dysglycemia after controlling for other pregnancy characteristics and pregnancy-independent factors.     

Thiol/disulfide homeostasis in predicting adverse perinatal outcomes at 24–28 weeks of pregnancy in gestational diabetes

Objective: The main aim of this study was to investigate thiol/disulfide homeostasis at 24–28 weeks of pregnancy and to evaluate whether it is predictive for adverse perinatal outcomes or not in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Methods: A total of 110 pregnant women at 24–28 weeks of pregnancy (74 GDM patients and 36 age- and BMI-matched healthy pregnant women) were enrolled in this prospective case–control study. Thiol/disulfide homeostasis was evaluated with a novel spectrophotometric method to determine if there is an association with adverse perinatal outcomes in GDM, by using logistic regression analysis.

Results: GDM patients, with decreased native thiol levels at 24–28 weeks (OR: 4.890, 95% CI: 1.355–5.764, p?=?0.015) and with higher pre-pregnancy BMI (OR: 1.280, 95% CI: 1.072–1.528, p?=?0.006), were found to be at increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes in GDM. There were no statistically significant differences in thiol/disulfide homeostasis between diet- and insulin-treated GDM subgroups. Additionally, 1-h and 2-h glucose levels on 100?g OGTT were found to be predictive for the insulin need in achieving good glycemic control in GDM (OR: 1.022, 95% CI: 1.005–1.038, p?=?0.010 and OR: 1.019, 95% CI: 1.004–1.035, p?=?0.015).

Conclusions: GDM patients, with decreased native thiol levels at 24–28 weeks of pregnancy and with higher pre-pregnancy BMI, have an increased risk of possible adverse perinatal outcomes. Also, increased 1-h and 2-h glucose levels on 100?g OGTT can predict the need for insulin treatment for GDM.     

Associations of physical activity and inactivity before and during pregnancy with glucose tolerance

OBJECTIVE: To investigate associations of physical activity and television viewing before and during pregnancy with risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and abnormal glucose tolerance, the combination of GDM with less severe impaired glucose tolerance. METHODS: We assessed duration and intensity of physical activity and time spent viewing television both before and during pregnancy among 1,805 women enrolled in Project Viva, a cohort study in eastern Massachusetts. We identified 1,493 (83%) women with normal glucose tolerance and 312 (17%) with abnormal glucose tolerance, including 91 (5%) with GDM based on clinical glucose tolerance test results. RESULTS: After adjustment for age, race or ethnicity, history of GDM, family history of diabetes, and prepregnancy body mass index, our data suggest that women who engaged in any vigorous physical activity in the year before pregnancy experienced a reduced risk of GDM (odds ratio [OR] 0.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.33-0.95) and abnormal glucose tolerance (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.57-1.00). Women who reported vigorous activity before pregnancy and light-to-moderate or vigorous activity during pregnancy appeared to have a lower risk of both GDM (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.24-1.01) and abnormal glucose tolerance (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.49-1.01) compared with women reporting these activities in neither time period. Walking and total physical activity provided modest benefits. We observed no association of television viewing before or during pregnancy with risk of GDM or abnormal glucose tolerance. CONCLUSION: Physical activity, especially vigorous activity before pregnancy and at least light-to-moderate activity during pregnancy, may reduce risk for abnormal glucose tolerance and GDM. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II-2.     

Analysis of risk factors related to gestational diabetes mellitus

ObjectiveWith the rapid rising prevalence, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has become one of the leading causes of maternal and child mortality and morbidity worldwide. The present study aimed to analyze GDM-related risk factors for early intervention.Materials and methodsFrom January to June 2018, a total of 250 pregnant women from Chengdu Second People's Hospital were enrolled in the study. According to the diagnostic criteria for GDM, they were assigned into GDM group (n = 48) and non-GDM group (n = 202). The clinical data and biochemical indicators were compared between GDM group and non-GDM group, and Logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the risk factors of GDM.ResultsGDM group was significantly higher than non-GDM group in the age, pregnancy times, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level, history of diabetes mellitus in first-degree relatives, incidence of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) and the positive rate of thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) (P < 0.05), whereas was conspicuously lower than non-GDM group in the education level above junior college (P < 0.05). The results of Logistic regression analysis revealed that the age [odds ratios (OR) = 1.125, 95% confidential interval (CI) = 1.019–1.241, P = 0.020], pre-pregnancy BMI (OR = 1.280, 95%CI = 1.118–1.466, P < 0.001), history of diabetes mellitus in first-degree relatives (OR = 4.938, 95%CI = 1.418–17.196, P = 0.012) and TPOAb (+) (OR = 4.849, 95%CI = 1.742–13.501, P = 0.003) were the risk factors of GDM.ConclusionsAdvanced age, pre-pregnancy BMI overweight, history of diabetes mellitus in first-degree relatives and TPOAb (+) are associated with an increased risk of GDM.     

Association between inflammatory potential of diet and odds of gestational diabetes mellitus among Iranian women

Background: The possible relationship between diet-related inflammation and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) requires further investigation, especially in non-Western populations. We examined the association between dietary inflammatory index (DII) scores and GDM in a case-control study conducted in Iran.

Methods: This study included 122 GDM cases and 266 controls hospitalized for acute non-neoplastic diseases. Cases were pregnant women aged 18–40 years, who visited major general hospitals in different regions of Tehran. Pregnant women were screened for gestational diabetes between the 24th and 28th week of gestation with a 50-g, 1-hour glucose challenge test (GCT). Cases were diagnosed positive for GDM. Controls were pregnant women who had normal GCT test. DII scores were computed from dietary intake assessed by a previously validated 147-item food frequency questionnaire. Logistic regression models adjusted age, gestational age, energy, exercise, BMI, smoking exposure, family history of diabetes, and history of multivitamin intake were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results: Subjects with higher DII scores (i.e. indicating a more proinflammatory diet) had a higher odd of GDM with the DII being used as both a continuous (OR?=?1.20; 95% CI?=?0.94–1.54) and as categorical (OR_{tertile 3vs1}?=?2.10; 95% CI?=?1.02–4.34, p-trend?=?.03).

Conclusions: These results indicate that a proinflammatory diet, as evidenced by higher DII scores, is associated with increased odds of GDM among Iranian women.     

Prediction of gestational diabetes mellitus by first trimester serum secreted frizzle-related protein-5 levels

Objective: The main aim of this study was to investigate the first trimester maternal serum secreted frizzle-related protein-5 (Sfrp-5) levels and to evaluate the predictive value on the subsequently developed gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Methods: A total of 40 pregnant women who subsequently developed GDM and 44 age- and pre-pregnancy BMI-matched healthy pregnant women were enrolled in this prospective case-control study. First trimester serum Sfrp-5 levels were evaluated to determine if there is an association with the onset of GDM, by using logistic regression analysis.

Results: Decreased first trimester serum Sfrp-5 levels (OR?=?14.332, 95%CI: 4.166–49.301, p?<?0.001) were found to be significantly associated with the increased risk of GDM. There were no statistically significant differences in serum Sfrp-5 levels between the diet- and insulin-treated GDM groups and also serum Sfrp-5 levels were not found to be predictive for adverse perinatal outcomes (p?>?0.05).

Conclusions: Decreased first trimester serum Sfrp-5 levels are significantly associated with the increased risk of GDM.     

高龄、肥胖、早孕期体重增长、一级亲属糖尿病家族史单因素以及复合因素对妊娠期糖尿病发病的影响

目的:研究高龄、孕前体质量指数(Pre-BMI)、孕期体重增长、一级亲属即父母患糖尿病单因素以及复合因素对妊娠期糖尿病(GDM)发病的影响,以达到控制某个可控因素来降低GDM发病风险。方法:对上海交通大学附属第一人民医院南院731例孕妇的年龄、孕前BMI、早孕期增重、糖尿病家族史进行logistic单因素回归分析并进行复合因素分析。结果:妊娠年龄(OR=1.071,95%CI=1.034~1.110,P=0.000),孕前BMI(OR=1.535,95%CI=1.087~2.170,P=0.015),早孕期体重增长(OR=1.132,95%CI=1.041~1.231,P=0.004),家族糖尿病史(OR=2.386,95%CI=1.393~4.086,P=0.002)。妊娠期合并1个高危因素孕妇患GDM的危险度是合并0个高危因素的1.966倍(95%CI=1.277~3.027,P=0.002),合并2个高危因素孕妇患GDM的危险度是合并0个高危因素的3.060倍(95%CI=1.912~4.898,P=0.000),合并≥3个高危因素孕妇患GDM的危险度是合并0个高危因素的8.444倍(95%CI=4.077~17.488,P=0.000)。结论:妊娠期间合并高危因素数越多,GDM发生危险度越高。对于合并高危因素的妇女,产科医师可在其备孕咨询时或初次产检时给予指导,降低可改变的1个或2个因素,达到很大程度降低GDM发病风险。     

Association of CPT1A gene polymorphism with the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: a case-control study

Purpose

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a growing public health problem worldwide and its etiology remains unclear. The pathophysiology of GDM is similar to that of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and insulin resistance (IR) is the main reason for the development of GDM. Carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A) is a candidate gene for metabolic disorders; however, the association of the CPT1A gene and GDM has not yet been studied. We aimed to explore whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the CPT1A gene could influence the risk of GDM.

Methods

We examined 18 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CPT1A gene and the risk of GDM in a nested case-control study of 334 GDM patients and 334 controls. The controls who had no GDM were randomly selected through matching to cases by age and residence.

Results

After adjusting the family history of diabetes, pre-pregnancy body mass index, and multiple comparison correction, the CPT1A rs2846194 and rs2602814 were associated with reduced GDM risk while rs59506005 was associated with elevated GDM risk. Moreover, the GGAC haplotype in the CPT1A gene (rs17399246 rs1016873 rs11228450 rs10896396) was associated with a reduced risk of GDM.

Conclusion

Our study provides evidence for an association between genetic polymorphisms in the CPT1A and the risk of GDM.

     

Increased maternal plasma leptin in early pregnancy and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus

OBJECTIVE: Emerging evidence suggests that leptin, an adipocyte-derived hormone, may have independent direct effects on both insulin secretion and action, in addition to its well documented effects on appetite and energy expenditure. Some, but not all, previously published studies suggest that maternal leptin concentrations may be increased in pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We examined the association between plasma leptin concentration and GDM risk. METHODS: Women were recruited before 16 weeks of gestation and were followed up until delivery. Maternal plasma leptin concentrations (collected at 13 weeks of gestation) were measured by using immunoassay. We used generalized linear models to estimate relative risks and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: GDM developed in 5.7% of the cohort (47 of 823). Elevated leptin concentrations were positively associated with GDM risk (P for trend <.001). After adjusting for maternal prepregnancy adiposity and other confounders, women with leptin concentrations of 31.0 ng/mL or higher experienced a 4.7-fold increased risk of GDM (95% confidence interval 1.2, 18.0) as compared with women who had concentrations of 14.3 ng/mL or lower. We noted a strong linear component of trend in risk of GDM with increasing maternal plasma leptin concentration. Each 10-ng/mL increase in the leptin concentration was associated with a 20% increase in GDM risk (relative risk 1.2; 95% confidence interval 1.0, 1.3). CONCLUSIONS: Hyperleptinemia, independent of maternal adiposity, in early pregnancy appears to be predictive of an increased risk of GDM later in pregnancy. Additional larger prospective cohort studies are needed to confirm and more precisely assess the etiologic importance of hyperleptinemia in pregnancy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II-2     

Characteristics of abnormal oral glucose tolerance test in GDM diagnosis and clinical correlation

Objectives: To describe the characteristics of abnormal oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) values at gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) diagnosis and their associations with clinical characteristics, and to evaluate the effect on GDM diagnosis if any OGTT value was omitted.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 415 women diagnosed with GDM. The OGTT results were recorded and analyzed.

Results: Of the 415 included women, mean gestational age at GDM diagnosis was 19.2 weeks and 57.6% were diagnosed before 20 weeks. The highest proportions of abnormal values were found at the 1st and 2nd hour (85.3% and 96.6%, respectively). If the 3rd hour OGTT value was omitted, 16.7% of GDM cases would be missed. Number of abnormal OGTT values and abnormal FPG were significantly associated with obesity. Only pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity independently associated with insulin requirement (adjusted OR: 2.28, 95%CI: 1.02–5.06; p?=?.044; and adjusted OR: 6.29, 95%CI: 2.67–14.85; p?Conclusions: Over half of the GDM women had three or four abnormal OGTT values. Omission of the 3rd hour OGTT value would result in 16.7% of patients not being diagnosed with GDM. Number of abnormal OGTT values and abnormal FPG were associated with obesity, and insulin requirement was associated with pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity.     

Risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus among women screened with the two-step and one-step methods: A before-and-after study

Objective

To compare the risk profiles for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) using a one-step and two-step screening method and diagnostic criteria.

Familial aggregation of type 2 diabetes and chronic hypertension in women with gestational diabetes mellitus

OBJECTIVE: To perform a case-control study to assess the extent to which women with a positive parental history of type 2 diabetes and/or chronic hypertension experienced an increased risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). STUDY DESIGN: Participants (133 GDM cases and 373 controls) provided information on first-degree family history of the 2 conditions and other covariates of interest in interviews. Logistic regression procedures were used to derive odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals adjusted for confounding by maternal age, race/ethnicity and prepregnancy adiposity. RESULTS: As compared with women with no parental history of diabetes, women with a maternal-only (odds ratio = 2.0), paternal-only (odds ratio = 2.3) or both maternal and paternal history of diabetes (odds ratio = 3.8) experienced a statistically significant increased risk of GDM. The odds ratio for women with a positive parental history of diabetes and hypertension was 2.6 (95% confidence interval, 1.3-5.3). Women with a diabetic sibling had an 8.4-fold increased risk of GDM (95% confidence interval, 2.1-33.4). First-degree family history of chronic hypertension was predictive of GDM risk but only when hypertension was associated with a diagnosis of diabetes. CONCLUSION: Our results are consistent with the thesis that family history of diabetes (alone or when associated with hypertension) reflects genetic and behavioral factors whereby women may be predisposed to an increased GDM risk.     

Gestational diabetes mellitus and maternal breast cancer risk: a meta-analysis of the literature

Objective: The association between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and maternal breast cancer risk was controversial and inclusive. In this study, we aimed to examine the association between GDM and maternal breast cancer using meta-analysis method.

Methods: Researchers searched and reviewed the topic related articles comprehensively. For each eligible article, we extracted the effect size (odds ratio/relative risk or OR/RR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI). We used random effect models to combine the effect sizes. Subgroups analysis were used to examine whether the effects of GDM on breast cancer risk differed across GDM ascertainment methods, breast cancer ascertainment method, risk of bias, and country of study origin.

Results: Five case-control studies and six cohort studies which met the eligible criteria were included into analysis. Overall, we didn’t find significant associations between GDM and breast cancer among case-control studies (pooled OR?=?0.85, 95%CI?=?0.65, 1.10) and cohort studies pooled RR?=?1.00, 95%CI?=?0.80, 1.25). However, our subgroup analysis showed that GDM was a protective factor for breast cancer among the case-control studies in which breast cancer was ascertained via cancer registry system (OR?=?0.73, 95%CI?=?0.54, 1.00).

Conclusions: GDM during pregnancy is not associated with breast cancer in our study, suggesting that GDM mothers are not needed to be too anxious about their future breast cancer risk.     

A pilot study on the usefulness of body mass index and waist hip ratio as a predictive tool for gestational diabetes in Asian Indians

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common public health issue of pregnancy and women who have had GDM are at high risk for developing of diabetes mellitus Type-2. The aim of this study was to find the association between various clinical and biochemical parameters and GDM. One hundred and six consecutive patients who attended the out patient unit of department of gynecology, Kottayam Medical College, were enrolled in the study and followed up through the whole antenatal, intra-partum and post-partum periods to identify the obstetric outcome. We found that the prevalence of GDM was seven times higher in those with higher waist–hip ratio (WHR > 0.85) compared with those having a lower WHR (p < 0.001).Those with higher WHR gained more weight than other group (10.6 kg vs. 8.1 kg; p < 0.001). Obesity (BMI ≥23) and higher WHR were associated with increased risk of gestational diabetes (BMI ≥23: OR = 7.5, CI 95% = (1.61–34.31), p = 0.013; WHR > 0.85: OR = 12.05, CI 95% = (1.82–77.43), p = 0.007). We found that a WHR of 0.849 has the optimal sensitivity and specificity for the prediction of GDM. A waist circumference of 85.5 cm (with sensitivity of 75%, specificity 81.4%) and a BMI of 24.3 kg/m² (sensitivity 75%, specificity 86.5%) had the best predictive value. In conclusion, we found that maternal obesity has a strong correlation with obstetric complications. We found WHR is more important risk determinant for GDM in overweight/obese women than women with normal weight/lean.     

Acknowledgement of Reviewers

Objective. Pregnant women with an abnormal screening glucose challenge test (GCT) but without gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) on subsequent oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) are at increased risk of delivering macrosomic and large for gestational age (LGA) neonates. We thus sought to evaluate the maternal constitutional and biochemical factors that determine infant birth weight in this patient population.

Methods. Women with an abnormal GCT were evaluated at the time of their OGTT in late pregnancy. This analysis was restricted to Caucasian women without GDM (N = 86). Maternal demographic and biochemical factors were evaluated in relation to infant birth weight and LGA.

Results. After adjustment for length of gestation, birth weight was positively associated with pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) (r = 0.31, p = 0.0063) and negatively correlated with maternal serum levels of the insulin-sensitizing protein adiponectin (r = ?0.30, p = 0.0084). On multiple linear regression analysis, pre-pregnancy BMI and weight gain in pregnancy were positive independent determinants of infant birth weight, while family history of diabetes emerged as a negative independent correlate. Logistic regression analysis confirmed that pre-pregnancy BMI was a positive predictor of LGA (odds ratio (OR) = 1.25, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05–1.49), whereas family history of diabetes was again identified as a negative determinant (OR = 0.10, 95% CI 0.02–0.59). In contrast, neither measures of glycemia nor insulin resistance/sensitivity were independently associated with birth weight or LGA.

Conclusion. In pregnant women with an abnormal GCT but without GDM, pre-gravid maternal obesity predicts increased infant birth weight, whereas family history of diabetes is independently associated with decreased infant size.