Gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia: common antecedents?
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate commonality of risk factor profiles of women who develop gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia.


METHODS
Prospective cohort study in prenatal clinics of the Brazilian Unified Health System in six state capitals. 4.766 pregnant women between 20 to 48 years old were consecutively enrolled between 20th and 28th gestational weeks. Smoking habits and traditional risk factors for pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes were obtained by the interview at enrollment. Gestational diabetes was diagnosed using a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test and pre-eclampsia through chart review.


RESULTS
Both gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia were associated with age (OR 2.07; 95% CI 1.65-2.23 and OR 1.55; 95% CI 1.08-2.23, respectively), pre-pregnancy body mass index (OR 1.62; 95% CI 1.40-3.53 and OR 1.83; 95% CI 1.52-4.80, respectively) and weight gain in early pregnancy (OR 1.28; 95% CI 1.12-1.47 and OR 1.27; 95% CI 1.06-1.52, respectively). Lower odds of gestational diabetes (OR 0.31; 95% CI 0.22-0.44) and pre-eclampsia (OR 0.36; 95% CI 0.20-0.51) were observed in nulliparous women who have smoked during pregnancy.


CONCLUSIONS
Gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia share a pattern of risk factors, suggesting the possibility of common aetiology.
Wendland
Eliana M Da Ros
EM
Graduate Studies Program in Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil. eliana.wendland@ufrgs.br
Duncan
Bruce B
BB
Belizán
José M
JM
Vigo
Alvaro
A
Schmidt
Maria Inês
MI
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010298:Parity; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D015430:Weight Gain; D055815:Young Adult