Objective To examine the association between gestational diabetes mellitus and risk of preterm birth in Western China.
Methods Totally 1 962 pregnant women in their third trimester were enrolled consecutively at antenatal clinics of West China Second Hospital of Sichuan University during October 2013 to February 2014. Information on demographic characteristics, obstetrical history, and pregnancy complications were collected. The independent effect of gestational diabetes mellitus on preterm birth was analyzed with logistic regression model.
Results There were 419 pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus and 38 pregnant women with preterm birth. Gestational diabetes mellitus was associated with the risk of preterm birth in univariate analyses (P = 0.019). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that gestational diabetes mellitus was associated with an increased risk of preterm birth (odds ratio OR = 2.17, 95% confidence interval 95% CI: 1.09 – 4.34; P = 0.028) after adjusting for potential confounders. Effect sizes were similar in subgroups of age, body mass index (BMI), history of abortion, and fetal gender. After excluding women with hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy and hyperthyroidism, the effects remained.
Conclusion Gestational diabetes mellitus is associated with increased risk of preterm birth. Controlling blood glucose level in addition to other risk factors may be beneficial for preterm birth prevention.
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