Preterm birth--a risk factor for type 2 diabetes? The Helsinki birth cohort study

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Eero Kajantie1, Clive Osmond, David J P Barker

  • 1Department of Chronic Disease Prevention, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland. eero.kajantie@helsinki.fi

Diabetes Care
|September 9, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Preterm birth before 35 weeks gestation increases type 2 diabetes risk in adulthood. This risk is independent of fetal growth, highlighting the importance of gestational duration for long-term health.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal Medicine
  • Endocrinology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Low birth weight is linked to type 2 diabetes.
  • The association between preterm birth and type 2 diabetes requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if preterm birth (before 35 weeks gestation) is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
  • To assess if this risk is independent of fetal growth.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the Helsinki Birth Cohort (13,345 individuals).
  • Analyzed gestational age data for 12,813 participants.
  • Linked gestational age with special reimbursement data for diabetes medication after age 40.

Main Results:

  • 5.1% of subjects received diabetes medication reimbursement.
  • Individuals born before 35 weeks gestation had an 1.68 odds ratio for diabetes (95% CI 1.06-2.65).
  • Adjusting for birth weight, the odds ratio remained significant at 1.59 (1.00-2.52).

Conclusions:

  • Preterm birth before 35 weeks gestation is a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
  • The increased risk associated with preterm birth is not solely explained by slow fetal growth.
Abstract

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