Background: There is an ongoing debate whether maternal diabetes is a more important risk factor for gestational diabetes (GDM) development than paternal diabetes.
Aim: To describe the risk of GDM associated with paternal and maternal diabetes, and to further characterise GDM women with maternal diabetes.
Subjects and methods: Case-control study within a population-based GDM screening program in an urban area of Hungary in 2002-2003. All GDM women (no.=133) and an age-matched control group (no.=135) with a mean age of 31 years was evaluated. Blood pressure, anthropometric data, and blood glucose values from a 75 g Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) were recorded at 24-28 weeks of gestation. Family history data were by self-report.
Results: Known paternal diabetes was not related to GDM risk [odds ratio (OR) 0.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.35-2.00]. Known maternal diabetes (OR 2.90, 95% CI 0.99-8.49) and diabetes in the maternal line (OR 2.83, 95% CI 1.16-6.89) were both related to GDM after adjustment for body mass index (BMI). GDM women with known maternal diabetes had a higher BMI, 31.6 [9.1] kg/m2 median [interquartile range], than GDM women with or without diabetes in the maternal line, 26.1 [4.9] and 26.3 [6.1] kg/m2, respectively, while figures for fasting glucose during OGTT were 5.2 [0.7] vs 4.4 [1.1] vs 4.9 [0.8] mmol/l respectively (all p<0.05).
Conclusions: Maternal history of diabetes and history of diabetes in the maternal line seems to be a stronger predictor of GDM than paternal history.