Association of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Complicated With Short Sleep Duration and Child Neurodevelopmental Delay

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a risk factor for child neurodevelopmental delay. Maternal short sleep duration (SSD) may aggravate glucose metabolism disorder in women with GDM. However, it is unclear whether maternal SSD will further affect the neurodevelopmental outcomes of children.

To identify the association of GDM complicated with SSD and child neurodevelopmental delay.

This prospective study included 7069 mother-child pairs. Between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation, GDM was based on the 75-g oral-glucose-tolerance test. Self-reported sleep duration was collected via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire in the second (24-28 weeks) and third (32-36 weeks) trimesters. Outcomes of neurodevelopmental delay in 6 to 36 months postpartum were evaluated using Denver Developmental Screening Test-II and Gesell Development Diagnosis Scale.

Compared with the unexposed group, women with "GDM + SSD" have the greatest risks of child neurodevelopmental delay (hazard ratio with 95% CI: 1.58 [1.03-2.44]). "GDM + SSD" was associated with the greatest risks of maternal-fetal glucose metabolic disorder. An interquartile ratio (0.58 mmol/L) increase in cord blood C-peptide was associated with the risk of child neurodevelopmental delay (hazard ratio with 95% CI: 1.28 [1.12-1.48]). The stronger linear association of maternal glucose metabolism profiles and C-peptide in women with "GDM + SSD" was also demonstrated. The proportion of association between "GDM + SSD" and child neurodevelopmental delay mediated by C-peptide was 14.4%.

GDM complicated with SSD was associated with increased risk for child neurodevelopmental delay by enhancing the intergenerational association of maternal-fetal glucose metabolism disorder.