OBJECTIVES: Long term follow up women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: Academic obesity unit. POPULATION: Women earlier identified as having gestational diabetes mellitus. METHOD: Twenty-eight women diagnosed with GDM in 1984-1985, and a control group (n = 52) who gave birth at the same time performed a 2-h oral glucose tolerance test 15 years later. Basic anthropometry and questions about various aspects of eating and exercise habits were furthermore obtained. RESULTS: Ten women (35%) in the GDM group were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus and none in the control group (P < 0.001). Mean BMI in the diabetic group was 27.4 kg/m2 and in the non-diabetic GDM group 24.6 kg/m2 (P < 0.05). The mean weight gain since the first child was 8A kg in all GDM versus 8.1 kg in controls (ns). The women who developed type 2 diabetes mellitus, however, gained 15.1 kg since the birth of their first child (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Women who are diagnosed with GDM have a considerably higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus later in life. Despite a close medical monitoring during pregnancy, the further follow up within the health care system and information about long term consequences of GDM for later type 2 diabetes mellitus development seems to be generally lacking. More active strategies for future weight control and lifestyle advice after delivery might therefore be indicated for women with GDM.
OBJECTIVES: Long term follow up women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING:Academic obesity unit. POPULATION: Women earlier identified as having gestational diabetes mellitus. METHOD: Twenty-eight women diagnosed with GDM in 1984-1985, and a control group (n = 52) who gave birth at the same time performed a 2-h oral glucose tolerance test 15 years later. Basic anthropometry and questions about various aspects of eating and exercise habits were furthermore obtained. RESULTS: Ten women (35%) in the GDM group were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus and none in the control group (P < 0.001). Mean BMI in the diabetic group was 27.4 kg/m2 and in the non-diabetic GDM group 24.6 kg/m2 (P < 0.05). The mean weight gain since the first child was 8A kg in all GDM versus 8.1 kg in controls (ns). The women who developed type 2 diabetes mellitus, however, gained 15.1 kg since the birth of their first child (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:Women who are diagnosed with GDM have a considerably higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus later in life. Despite a close medical monitoring during pregnancy, the further follow up within the health care system and information about long term consequences of GDM for later type 2 diabetes mellitus development seems to be generally lacking. More active strategies for future weight control and lifestyle advice after delivery might therefore be indicated for women with GDM.
Authors: Nedra S Whitehead; Jane A Hammond; Michelle A Williams; Wayne Huggins; Sonja Hoover; Carol M Hamilton; Erin M Ramos; Heather A Junkins; William R Harlan; Carol J Hogue Journal: Ann Epidemiol Date: 2012-09-03 Impact factor: 3.797