The Relationship Between Race and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Epidemiology
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a pregnancy-specific condition with potential health risks.
• Existing literature has a gap in understanding the relationship between race and GDM in the U.S.
• Addressing racial disparities in GDM is crucial due to its health implications and the influence of social determinants of health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between maternal race/ethnicity and the diagnosis of GDM in the United States.
• To compare GDM diagnosis rates among pregnant women of color and White, non-Hispanic (NH) women.
• To address the gap in literature concerning racial disparities in GDM.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective cohort study utilizing data from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS).
• Inclusion of diverse racial and ethnic groups: NH White, NH Black, NH American Indian or Alaskan Native/Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (AIAN/NHOPI), NH Asian, NH Mixed, and Hispanic women.
• Statistical analyses included baseline characteristic evaluation, bivariate analysis for associations and confounders, and multivariable analysis to control for confounders.

Main Results:

• The study analyzed 3,367,601 women, with NH White women forming the largest group (50.5%).
• NH Asian women had over twice the adjusted odds of GDM compared to NH White women (aOR 2.79).
• Increased GDM odds were observed in NH AIAN/NHOPI (aOR 1.61), NH Mixed (aOR 1.08), and Hispanic women (aOR 1.16), while NH Black women showed decreased odds (aOR 0.76).

Conclusions:

• Maternal race and ethnicity are significantly associated with GDM diagnosis.
• NH Asian and NH AIAN/NHOPI women exhibited the highest rates of GDM relative to NH White women.
• Future research should investigate subgroups and factors like racism and discrimination to understand GDM risk nuances.