Abstract
BackgroundGestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has been associated with adverse health outcomes for mothers and offspring. Prevalence of GDM differs by country/region due to ethnicity, lifestyle and diagnostic criteria. We compared GDM rates and risk factors in two Asian cohorts using the 1999 WHO and the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG) criteria.MethodsThe Shanghai Birth Cohort (SBC) and the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) cohort are prospective birth cohorts. Information on sociodemographic characteristics and medical history were collected from interviewer-administered questionnaires. Participants underwent a 2-h 75-g oral glucose tolerance test at 24–28 weeks gestation. Logistic regressions were performed.ResultsUsing the 1999 WHO criteria, the prevalence of GDM was higher in GUSTO (20.8%) compared to SBC (16.6%) (p = 0.046). Family history of hypertension and alcohol consumption were associated with higher odds of GDM in SBC than in GUSTO cohort while obesity was associated with higher odds of GDM in GUSTO. Using the IADPSG criteria, the prevalence of GDM was 14.3% in SBC versus 12.0% in GUSTO. A history of GDM was associated with higher odds of GDM in GUSTO than in SBC, while being overweight, alcohol consumption and family history of diabetes were associated with higher odds of GDM in SBC.ConclusionsWe observed several differential risk factors of GDM among ethnic Chinese women living in Shanghai and Singapore. These findings might be due to heterogeneity of GDM reflected in diagnostic criteria as well as in unmeasured genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors.
Highlights
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has been associated with adverse health outcomes for mothers and offspring
Comparison of demographic variables between Shanghai Birth Cohort (SBC) and Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) cohort After removal of subjects with late enrolment in the SBC, with non-singleton pregnancy, of non-Chinese ethnicity and with pre-existing diabetes, there were 734 and 677 subjects left in SBC and GUSTO, respectively, in the analysis (Fig. 1)
A higher proportion of GUSTO participants consumed alcohol during pregnancy compared to SBC participants (3.3% versus 0.3%, Table 1), were currently smoking or had ever smoked (9.4% versus 3.0%), had a family history of diabetes (24.4% versus 9.2%), had a family history of hypertension (41.2% versus 32.7%), had a history of GDM in a previous pregnancy (3.2% versus 0.4%) and had a personal history of hypertension (1.2% vs 0.1%) compared to SBC participants
Summary
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has been associated with adverse health outcomes for mothers and offspring. GDM has been associated with adverse health outcomes for both mother and child [4]; women with GDM are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus [5], cardiovascular diseases [6] and renal diseases [7] later in life. Babies born to women with GDM have a greater propensity to develop type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity later in life. These findings highlight the importance of evaluating risk factors and deriving strategies to prevent and treat GDM which may induce epigenetic modifications in utero [9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
