Takeaway
- Prenatal smoking was independently associated with a higher risk for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), irrespective of pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) or gestational weight gain.
Why this matters
- Findings suggest that lowering smoking rates during pregnancy may reduce the risk of GDM.
Study design
- Secondary data analysis of 222,408 participants using data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) during 2009-2015.
- Main outcome: self-reported GDM and change in smoking status during pregnancy.
- Funding: Pfizer and others.
Key results
- Of 222,408 participants, 12,897 (5.3%) were diagnosed with GDM.
- Overall, 105,459 (48.1%) had normal pre-pregnancy BMI, and 89,201 (43.1%) had excessive gestational weight gain.
- Smoking of same or more cigarettes was associated with increased risk for GDM in overweight (adjusted OR [aOR], 1.36; 95% CI, 1.03-1.80; P=.033) and obese (aOR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.03-1.79; P=.029) women.
- Mothers who continued to smoke the same or greater number of cigarettes (aOR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.25-1.71; P=.033) or reduced the number of cigarettes (aOR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.08-1.38; P=.029) had a higher risk for GDM.
Limitations
- Possibility of GDM misclassification.
References
References
