Maternal age at pregnancy and risk for gestational diabetes mellitus among Chinese women with singleton pregnancies

Abstract

Maternal age at pregnancy is one of the most important risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM); the particulars of the association vary by racial origin. Women less than 25 years old are considered to have low risk by the American Diabetes Association, but there are little data to support this among Chinese women. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship of maternal age and the incidence of GDM. The data were drawn from a prenatal healthcare system and clinical record: 15,668 singleton pregnancies in women who had no pre-pregnancy diabetes and who became pregnant naturally. The relationships of age and GDM incidence were examined using χ2 and logistic regression models. The overall incidence of GDM was 22.72% (95% CI, 22.07–23.38). The incidence increased from 10.21% (95% CI, 8.18–12.14) in the age group of 18–22 years to 37.10% (95% CI, 33.71–40.49) in the age group of 36–49 years. The risk of GDM increased by an average of 8% for every 1 year of maternal age, and within each age group, the risk of GDM was 5% higher in primiparas than in pluriparas, in the range of age of 22 and 35 years. The incidence of GDM increased with maternal age. Women who got pregnant younger than 23 years had the lowest risk, followed by those who were younger than 30 years. The incidence GDM was especially high in women who were primiparas and were older than 30 years.