Gestational Diabetes as a Growing Risk Factor for Type 2 Diabetes

Women with a history of GDM face a T2DM prevalence as high as 16% after 16 years.

Trends toward older age at conception as well as obesity both influence likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) subsequent to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Investigators performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of 20 studies in several countries to estimate risk for developing T2DM among women with a history of GDM (68,000 women) compared with those with normal glucose testing during pregnancy (controls; 1,300,000 women).

Pooled relative risk for developing T2DM was 9.5 for women with a history of GDM compared with controls. In a subanalysis of seven studies (mean follow-up, 16 years), T2DM was diagnosed in 16.2% of women with GDM and 1.9% of controls. In six studies (mean follow-up, 7 years), among white women…

Reviewing Author

Robert L. Barbieri, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Robert L. Barbieri, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Gestational Diabetes as a Growing Risk Factor for Type 2 Diabetes

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Reviewing Author