Clinical Characteristics, Outcomes, and Progression to Type 2 Diabetes in Women with Hyperglycemia in Pregnancy

Women with hyperglycemia in pregnancy (HIP) are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D).

The present study intended to study the incidence of postpartum diabetes among HIP women and predict its risk factors.

This was a prospective observational study done on 178 women with HIP diagnosed after the first trimester, attending the tertiary care hospitals between December 2018 and March 2020.

Demographics, clinical variables, and feto-maternal outcomes were recorded. The postpartum glycemic status was determined using a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at 1 and 6 months.

All analyses were performed with SPSS software (version 21.0).

The mean age of women with HIP was 30.2 ± 6.1 years, with 38% having a family history of diabetes. Eighty percent of the women delivered full-term babies and 71.3% underwent a cesarean section. Gestational hypertension was present in 21.9% of patients. Macrosomia was present in 4.6% of the babies, hypoglycemia in 6.7%, and spontaneous abortion occurred in 7.7%. Postpartum OGTT at 6 months was completed by 76.4% of participants. The incidence of diabetes and glucose intolerance postpartum was 11.7 and 16.2%, respectively at 6 months. Logistic regression analysis showed that maternal obesity, diagnosis of HIP at an earlier trimester (<24 weeks), need for insulin treatment during pregnancy, signs of insulin resistance and fasting and 2-h plasma glucose >100 (>5.6 mmol/L) and >195 mg/dL (>10.9 mmol/L), respectively, and glycated hemoglobin > 6.5% (>48 mmol/mol) increased the risk of having postpartum diabetes significantly.

The incidence of postpartum glucose intolerance in women with HIP is high. Prospective diabetes evaluation is required and intervention should be considered in women with HIP who have obesity, diagnosis of HIP at an earlier trimester, signs of insulin resistance, and require insulin treatment during pregnancy.