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Cohort Study of Maternal Gestational Weight Gain, Gestational Diabetes, and Childhood Asthma
Orianne Dumas1, Anna Chen Arroyo2, Mohammad Kamal Faridi3
1Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Univ. Paris-Sud, Inserm, Équipe d'Épidémiologie Respiratoire Intégrative, CESP, 94807 Villejuif, France.
Insights
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) increases childhood asthma risk, especially in mothers with normal BMI. Healthy pregnancy interventions may aid asthma prevention.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Pediatrics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Limited and inconsistent data exist on the link between maternal gestational weight gain (GWG) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and childhood asthma.
- Investigating these prenatal risk factors is crucial for understanding asthma development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between maternal GWG and GDM with childhood asthma incidence.
- To identify specific maternal characteristics, such as pre-pregnancy BMI, that may modify these associations.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 16,351 mother-child pairs from the Massachusetts General Hospital Maternal-Child Cohort (1998-2010).
- Utilized electronic health records to determine GWG, GDM status, and childhood asthma/allergy incidence up to age 5.
- Logistic regression models adjusted for maternal factors were employed.
Main Results:
- No significant association was found between GWG and childhood asthma.
- GDM was positively associated with an increased risk of childhood asthma (OR 1.46).
- The GDM-asthma association was particularly strong among mothers with a normal early pregnancy BMI (20-24.9 kg/m²), showing an OR of 2.31.
Conclusions:
- Maternal GDM is a significant risk factor for childhood asthma, especially in women with a normal pre-pregnancy BMI.
- These findings highlight the importance of targeted interventions for healthier pregnancies to potentially prevent childhood asthma.
Abstract:
Data on the association of maternal gestational weight gain (GWG) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with childhood asthma are limited and inconsistent. We aimed to investigate these associations in a U.S. pre-birth cohort. Analyses included 16,351 mother-child pairs enrolled in the Massachusetts General Hospital Maternal-Child Cohort (1998-2010). Data were obtained by linking electronic health records for prenatal visits/delivery to determine BMI, GWG, and GDM (National Diabetes Data Group criteria) and to determine asthma incidence and allergies (atopic dermatitis or allergic rhinitis) for children. The associations of prenatal exposures with asthma were evaluated using logistic regression adjusted for maternal characteristics. A total of 2306 children (14%) developed asthma by age 5 years. Overall, no association was found between GWG and asthma. GDM was positively associated with offspring asthma (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.14-1.88). Associations between GDM and asthma were observed only among mothers with early pregnancy BMI between 20 and 24.9 kg/m2 (OR 2.31, CI 1.46-3.65, p-interaction 0.02). We report novel findings on the impact of prenatal exposures on asthma, including increased risk among mothers with GDM, particularly those with a normal BMI. These findings support the strengthening of interventions targeted toward a healthier pregnancy, which may also be helpful for childhood asthma prevention.
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