Women who gave birth to a baby that was large for its gestational age were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes years into the future, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Previous studies of birth weight have often focused on the later-in-life consequences for the baby being born, rather than for the baby’s mother. One study showed that people with a lower birth weight are more likely to develop prediabetes in adolescence — especially among males. Another study showed that adults with a low birth weight were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes at a younger age, and at a lower body-mass index (BMI, a measure of body weight that takes height into account).
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At the same time, there has been a great deal of research focusing on the causes and consequences of gestational diabetes, a form of diabetes that develops during pregnancy and usually goes away after giving birth. Gestational diabetes has been on the rise in recent years, and women with a history of gestational diabetes are at greater risk for type 2 diabetes later on — although this risk can be reduced through lifestyle measures like good nutrition, maintaining a healthy body weight, and getting enough physical activity. But even when a pregnant women does not develop gestational diabetes, a higher birth weight can indicate a problem with glucose metabolism, according to the researchers involved in the latest study, as noted in an article at HealthDay.
For the latest study, researchers looked at the link between giving birth to a baby that was large for its gestational age and the risk of developing prediabetes or type 2 diabetes within 10 to 14 years among women without gestational diabetes during their pregnancy. The participants were 4,025 women with a median age of 30.2 at the time of giving birth. Overall, 13.2% of participants gave birth to a baby that was large for its gestational age, 7.8% gave birth to a baby that was small for its gestational age, and 78.9% gave birth to a baby that was appropriately sized for its gestational age. Within 10 to 14 years after giving birth, 20.0% of participants developed either prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.
Larger babies linked to prediabetes and type 2 in mothers
Participants who gave birth to a baby large for its gestational age were more likely to develop prediabetes or diabetes than those in the other two birth weight categories. Among women who gave birth to a baby large for its gestational age, the rate of developing prediabetes or type 2 diabetes was 24.8%, compared with 19.7% for those who gave birth to a baby appropriately sized for its gestational age and 15.4% for those who gave birth to a baby small for its gestational age. After adjusting for a number of factors among participants at the time they gave birth — including age, BMI, height, family history of diabetes, blood pressure, smoking status, and alcohol use — the researchers found that compared with women who gave birth to an appropriately sized baby, those who gave birth to a baby large for its gestational age were 21% more likely to develop prediabetes or type 2 diabetes within 10 to 14 years.
The researchers noted that even if a pregnant woman’s blood glucose levels remain normal during pregnancy, impaired glucose tolerance could lead to higher insulin levels — and insulin may act as a growth factor for a developing baby during pregnancy. This study’s results indicate that even when a woman did not have gestational diabetes during her pregnancy, a higher birth weight may indicate a need for regular screening for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.
Want to learn more about type 2 diabetes? Read “Diabetes Testing: Type 2 Diabetes,” “Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity: The Link” and “Type 2 Diabetes and a Healthy Family Lifestyle.”
