Short sleep duration and risk of gestational diabetes

ObjectiveSleep disturbances and short sleep duration are common in pregnancy and might contribute to the development of hyperglycemia. Therefore, we evaluated the association of sleep disturbances and gestational diabetes (GDM) in a cohort of women.MethodsWe collected data of 386 women consecutively screened for GDM in 2019 by 75 gr OGTT, according with IDPSG criteria. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire was used to assess self-reported poor sleep quality (PSQI score >5) and short nocturnal sleep duration (<6 h).ResultsOf 386 women, 148 (38.3%) had poor sleep quality and 87 (22.5%) short sleep duration. GDM prevalence was 26.9%. There was no difference in GDM prevalence between women with poor or good sleep quality (26% vs. 28%; n.s.), while GDM was more frequent in women with short sleep duration (35.6% vs. 24.4%; p = 0.038). On univariate logistic regression analysis, short sleep duration (OR 1.71; 95%CI: 1.03-2.86; p = 0.039), previous GDM (OR 3.52; 95%CI: 1.83-6.76; p < 0.0001), family history of diabetes (OR 1.96; 95%CI: 1.21-3.91; p = 0.007), pre-pregnancy overweight (OR 1.85; 95%CI: 1.06-3.23; p = 0.031) or obesity (OR 2.56; 95%CI: 1.40-4.70; p = 0.002) were associated to GDM. However, after adjustment for confounders, short sleep duration did not persist as an independent risk factor for GDM (OR: 1.55; 95%CI: 0.91-2.65; ns).ConclusionsSleep disturbances are relative common among pregnant women. Although GDM seems more common among women with short sleep duration, this sleep disturbance does not seem to be an independent risk factor for GDM in women at high risk.