Maternal Height Independent Risk of Adverse Outcomes in Women with Gestational Diabetes

The study was published in the journal of Diabetes Therapy by Mengkai Du and colleagues. The study, encompassing 2048 women diagnosed with GDM between July 2017 and June 2018 in Zhejiang Province, China, presented intriguing observations. The researchers discovered that shorter stature in women with GDM was associated with higher rates of low birth weight (LBW) (p = 0.003) and primary cesarean section (primary CS) (p < 0.001). Conversely, taller women with GDM exhibited elevated rates of abnormal neonatal ponderal index (p < 0.001), postpartum hemorrhage (p = 0.044), and macrosomia (p < 0.001).

The investigators highlighted the importance of considering gestational weight gain and pre-pregnancy BMI as independent factors influencing pregnancy outcomes. They noted that shorter women with pre-pregnancy obese BMI faced a substantially higher risk of macrosomia compared to shorter women with normal or overweight pre-pregnancy BMI.

During the study, maternal height was categorized into three groups: shorter (≤158 cm), average (between 158.1 – 162.0 cm), and taller (>162.0 cm). Notably, shorter women experienced higher rates of low birth weight (LBW) (p = 0.003) and primary cesarean section (primary CS) (p < 0.001), while taller women had increased instances of abnormal neonatal ponderal index (p < 0.001), postpartum hemorrhage (p = 0.044), and macrosomia (p < 0.001).

Further analysis revealed intriguing correlations based on gestational weight gain and pre-pregnancy BMI. For instance, shorter women with inadequate gestational weight gain showed a significant association between maternal height and low birth weight (aOR 2.20, 95% CI 1.13–4.29), while taller women with excess weight gain demonstrated a positive link between maternal height and the risk of macrosomia (aOR 1.97, 95% CI 0.95–4.10).

The study's findings underscore the pivotal role of maternal height in predicting adverse outcomes in women with gestational diabetes mellitus. Importantly, the researchers emphasized the necessity of considering pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain when assessing the impact of maternal height on pregnancy outcomes. This approach could aid in identifying women at high risk of complications and facilitate personalized prenatal care strategies.

Reference:

Du, M., Muhuza, M. P. U., Tang, Y., Chen, Y., Chen, D., Zhang, L., & Liang, Z. Maternal height is an independent risk of adverse outcomes in women with gestational diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Therapy: Research, Treatment and Education of Diabetes and Related Disorders,2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13300-023-01512-3