Gestational diabetes increases the risk of metabolic syndrome after pregnancy

The aim of this study was to investigate the risk of metabolic syndrome after pregnancy in women that had gestational diabetes (GD). The main finding of the study was women who had GD had a higher risk of metabolic syndrome after pregnancy.

Insulin is the hormone that controls blood sugar. During pregnancy, women need more insulin. GD is a condition where the body cannot make enough insulin during pregnancy to meet the increased demand. Normally, GD resolves after pregnancy. However, women who have had GD are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) later in life.

Metabolic syndrome is a condition that consists of a cluster of risk factors that increase the risk of heart disease. These risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, insulin resistance (insulin produced by the body does not work properly).

The risk of metabolic syndrome after a pregnancy in women with GD is not known.

This study included 1,968 patients. 1,263 of these had GD and 705 did not (control patients). The average follow-up time was 3.53 years.

Patients who had GD were 3.66-3.90 times more likely to develop metabolic syndrome after pregnancy than those who did not. Patients with GD were 2.64 times more likely to develop obesity than control patients. They were also 4.14 times more likely to have high circulating fat levels and 3.68 times more likely to have high blood pressure than women without GD.

There was no significant increased risk of low HDL (good cholesterol) or high blood sugar levels in women with GD or without GD.

The authors concluded that women with GD were at higher risk of metabolic syndrome after pregnancy.

This study was conducted in a Chinese population only. The criteria for metabolic syndrome differs among ethnicities. Further studies are needed in women of different populations.