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Gestational diabetes, maternal weight and race increased fetal growth
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It has been established that maternal gestational diabetes and hyperglycemia during pregnancy are associated with excessive fetal growth. After an examination of more than 100,000 pregnancies from the Consortium on Safe Labor, researchers found that gestational diabetes, pre-pregnancy obesity and excessive pregnancy weight gain also increased the risk for giving birth to a large-for-gestational age infant, and the effects varied by race.
“These results suggest that a woman’s race may be an important consideration when developing prevention strategies for excess fetal growth in women with [gestational diabetes],” the researchers wrote.
According to data published in the journal Diabetologia, underweight and normal-weight women’s pre-pregnancy adiposity, subsequent pregnancy weight gain and gestational diabetes were independently associated with an increased risk for giving birth to a large-for-gestational age (LGA) infant across all races (except gestational diabetes among non-Hispanic whites).
The researchers also reported that the joint effect was linked to significantly increased odds for giving birth to an LGA among non-Hispanic white (OR=11.27; 95% CI, 8.40-15.11), non-Hispanic black (OR=7.09; 95% CI, 4.81-10.45) and Hispanic women (OR=10.19; 95% CI, 6.84-15.19).
However, this joint effect of all three factors was approximately the same as any of the two factors for Asian women (OR=5.14; 95% CI, 2.11-12.50), according to data.
Furthermore, gestational diabetes was associated with a twofold increased risk for delivering an LGA infant (OR=2.02; 95% CI, 1.86-2.19).
The researchers wrote that identifying risk factors such as these could represent a starting point for controlling childhood obesity.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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