Review: Better evidence needed on long-term health consequences of gestational diabetes
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Research published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism highlighted the need for better evidence on long-term health consequences of gestational diabetes.
“Most studies do not have a follow-up period longer than 10 years, and therefore the possible long-term consequences of gestational diabetes apart from type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease are poorly described,” Lana R. Flachs Madsen, MD, from the department of gynecology, obstetrics and pediatrics at Nykøbing Falster Hospital, Denmark, and colleagues wrote.
Researchers conducted a systematic review of searches of MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane Library from inception to March 2021 to identify 15 peer-reviewed original articles with cohort studies, case-control studies and clinical trials of women with a history of gestational diabetes and subsequent long-term morbidity or mortality. Researchers aimed to map potential long-term health consequences of gestational diabetes besides type 2 diabetes and CVD.
The strongest evidence for an association between gestational diabetes and long-term outcomes was for kidney diseases, particularly among Black women in the U.S. In addition, researchers observed associations between gestational diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease or serious liver disease in two studies, but associations may have been mediated by type 2 diabetes.
The association between gestational diabetes and breast cancer was studied extensively in the included articles, but most assessed cases were based on self-reported diagnosis and had conflicting findings, the researchers wrote, adding that they found only sparse and inconsistent findings for other types of cancers.
There were no thyroid disease studies or studies reporting on short- or long-term mortality among women with gestational diabetes history identified in the review.
“Given the complex associations between gestational diabetes, development of different kinds of disease after birth and long-term health outcomes, future studies based on comprehensive hospital records or well-defined cohorts are strongly recommended,” the researchers wrote.
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