Assisted reproductive technology, risk of gestational diabetes, and perinatal outcomes in singleton pregnancies

To evaluate the impact of assisted reproductive technology (ART) on the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in single pregnancies.

We retrospectively collected clinical and anthropometric data of 219ART- and 256 age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched women with spontaneous conception screened for GDM. The primary outcome was to evaluate GDM prevalence in ART women.

There were no differences in age, BMI, and family history of diabetes in the two groups of women. ART-women were more frequently primiparous, whereas the prevalence of previous GDM was higher in SC-women. The prevalence of GDM in the whole cohort was 36.1% and was higher in ART-women (52.3% vs. 23.4%; p < 0.0001). In the whole cohort, on multivariate analysis, family history of diabetes (OR 1.67; 95% CI: 1.03-2.69), previous GDM (OR 7.05; 95% CI: 2.92-17.04), pre-pregnancy obesity (OR 2.72; 95% CI 1.21-6.13), and ART (OR 4.14; 95% CI 2.65-6.48) were independent risk factors for GDM. Among ART-women, age over 40 years was associated with GDM. Preterm delivery was more common in ART-women; gestational week at delivery, birth weight, ponderal index, and Apgar score were lower in ART-women than in SC-women, both in the whole cohort and in GDM women.

Among women undergoing ART treatment, at least one in two develops GDM. ART appears to be an independent risk factor for GDM in single pregnancies, particularly above the age of 40. ART treatment seems to be associated with an increased rate of preterm delivery and lower neonatal birth weight and Apgar score, especially in GDM women.

The study was not registered as it is an observational retrospective evaluation.