Prevalence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension during pregnancy in eastern China after the implementation of universal two-child policy

Abstract

Few studies have assessed the prevalence of diabetes and hypertension among pregnant women in China after the implementation of universal two-child policy. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of diabetes and hypertension from 2016 to 2018 among pregnant women in Jiangsu, China, after the policy implementation. We analysed data from pregnant women who delivered their neonates between 2016 and 2018 in the Northern Jiangsu People’s Hospital. All pregnant women irrespective of their gestation weeks underwent oral glucose intolerance tests in a fasting state. A total of 3262 pregnant women were included. The overall prevalence of diabetes and hypertension in pregnant women was 21.8% and 2.4%, respectively. In addition, the prevalence of low birth weight (LBW) and macrosomia for participants with diabetes was significantly higher than those without diabetes (LBW: 4.4. vs. 2.6%, p = 0.017; macrosomia: 10.1 vs. 5.8%, p < 0.001). There was a significant increasing trend in the prevalence of diabetes, which was from 18.9% in 2016 to 25.4% in 2018 (p < 0.001). Similarly, there was also a significant increasing trend in the prevalence of diabetes across the increasing age group (from 16.4% in 18–24 years to 47.6% in 40–45 years) (p < 0.001). Our study reported a high prevalence of diabetes among this sample of Chinese pregnant women. In addition, advanced maternal age was found to be a risk factor of diabetes in pregnant women. Therefore, in view of high prevalence of diabetes, screening for diabetes in pregnant women is strongly recommended, regardless of their age, BMI, and gestation weeks.