Pregravid Cardiometabolic Risk Factors Linked to GDM

Serum glucose levels, BMI, and BP levels independently associated with gestational diabetes

FRIDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- Women with pregravid cardiometabolic risk factors are at significantly higher risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), according to a study published in the July issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Monique M. Hedderson, Ph.D., from Kaiser Permanente Northern California in Oakland, and colleagues investigated whether pregravid cardiometabolic risk-factor profile was associated with subsequent risk of GDM. A total of 199 women with GDM and 381 controls who underwent a multiphasic health checkup examination between 1984 and 1996 and subsequently got pregnant, were included in the analysis. Cases and controls were matched by year and age at checkup examination and age at delivery.

The investigators found that pregravid serum glucose levels of 100 to 140 mg/dL, body mass index (BMI) of 25.0 kg/m² or more, and prehypertension/hypertension levels correlated independently with the risk for GDM (odds ratio 4.8, 2.7, and 1.5, respectively). Patients with more pregravid cardiometabolic risk factors had a significantly higher risk of developing GDM. High BMI and adverse glucose levels were associated with a 4.6-fold increased risk of GDM compared with normal levels.

"We found that the presence of cardiometabolic risk factors before pregnancy increases the risk of the development of GDM and may help to identify women who are at high risk for GDM to target for prevention strategies," the authors write.

The study was funded by Kaiser Permanente.

Abstract
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