Prevalence and Risk Factors for Glucose Intolerance among Saudi Women with Gestational Diabetes

The objective of this study was to determine the incidence and risk factors of glucose intolerance one year after delivery in women with gestational diabetes (GDM).

All women who had GDM and completed one year since delivery at King Khalid University Hospital were contacted to participate in the study. Based on to the American Diabetes Association criteria and the results of fasting blood glucose (FPG) and HbA1c, participants were classified into three groups: diabetic, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and normal. The incidence of diabetes and IGT was calculated. Clinical, biochemical, and sociodemographic predictors of glucose intolerance were compared between the three groups. Odds ratio (OR) for risk factors with P value less than 0.05 was calculated.

From a total 316 eligible women, 133 fulfilled the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate in the study. From the study participants, 58 (44%) women were normoglycemic, 60 (45%) women had IGT, and 15 (11%) women were diabetic. The odds of developing IGT or diabetes increased to nearly fourfold when women needed insulin for the control of GDM during pregnancy (OR 3.8, 95% CI 0.81-18.3, P = 0.08) and to nearly one-and-a-half-fold when they have positive family history of T2DM (OR 1.2, 95% CI 0.74-2.09, P = 0.40). Nevertheless, none of the odds ratios was statistically significant.

The incidence of postpartum hyperglycemia (diabetes and IGT) is very high in Saudi women with GDM. Family history of diabetes and insulin treatment of GDM may be predictors of postpartum hyperglycemia.