Impact of maternal height and gestational diabetes mellitus on offspring birthweight

Senja Masalin; Merja K Laine; Hannu Kautiainen; Mika Gissler; Marko Raina; Pirjo Pennanen; Johan G Eriksson

doi:10.1016/j.diabres.2019.01.004

Impact of maternal height and gestational diabetes mellitus on offspring birthweight

Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2019 Feb:148:110-118. doi: 10.1016/j.diabres.2019.01.004. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Authors

Senja Masalin¹, Merja K Laine², Hannu Kautiainen³, Mika Gissler⁴, Marko Raina⁵, Pirjo Pennanen⁶, Johan G Eriksson⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: senja.lindholm@helsinki.fi.
² Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland; Vantaa Health Center, Vantaa, Finland.
³ Primary Health Care Unit, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland; Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland.
⁴ National Institute for Health and Welfare, Information Department, Helsinki, Finland; Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
⁵ Vantaa Health Center, Vantaa, Finland; Apotti, Helsinki, Finland.
⁶ Vantaa Health Center, Vantaa, Finland.
⁷ Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland; Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland; National Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Chronic Disease Prevention, Helsinki, Finland; Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science and Technology (A*STAR), Singapore; Obstetrics & Gynecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore.

PMID: 30641170
DOI: 10.1016/j.diabres.2019.01.004

Abstract

Aims: To evaluate the impact of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and maternal height on offspring birthweight.

Methods: This is an observational cohort study, encompassing 4 111 Finnish primiparous women from Vantaa city, Finland, with singleton deliveries between 2009 and 2015. Data were obtained from the Finnish Medical Birth Register. The study population was divided into five groups according to maternal height. Cut-offs for height levels were I ≤ 158 cm, II 159-163 cm, III 164-167 cm, IV 168-172 cm, V ≥ 173 cm. The main outcome measure was offspring birthweight, expressed as Z-scores according to sex and gestational age.

Results: Independently, both maternal height and GDM increased offspring birthweight (p < 0.001 for height and GDM). When studying the interaction, a significant increase in offspring birthweight was noted only in extreme height categories; group I ≤ 158 cm (p = 0.011), group IV 168-172 cm (p = 0.010) and group V ≥ 173 cm (p < 0.001) and the impact was similar in both sexes. Maternal height had no impact on offspring ponderal index (p = 0.20 for trend).

Conclusions: In extreme height categories, short and tall primiparous women with GDM are at risk for delivering larger offspring compared to women without GDM of similar height.

Keywords: Birthweight; Gestational diabetes mellitus; Maternal height; Offspring; Primiparous; Stature.

Publication types

Observational Study

MeSH terms

Adult
Birth Weight / physiology*
Body Height / physiology*
Body Mass Index
Cohort Studies
Delivery, Obstetric / statistics & numerical data
Diabetes, Gestational / diagnosis
Diabetes, Gestational / epidemiology*
Diabetes, Gestational / etiology
Female
Finland / epidemiology
Gestational Age
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Male
Mothers*
Pregnancy
Risk Factors
Young Adult