Peer-reviewed article
Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and associations with adverse pregnancy outcomes in the Faroe Islands: a population-based study.
Thomsen M, Danielsen SE, Johannesen HL, Strøm M, Joensen MV et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examines gestational diabetes mellitus in the Faroe Islands, looking at its prevalence and association with pregnancy outcomes in 1,703 women. The research found that 5.5% of women had gestational diabetes, and these women were older, had higher body mass index, and had more previous births. Women with gestational diabetes had a higher risk of postpartum haemorrhage. The study concludes that maternal body mass index was a stronger predictor of birth weight than gestational diabetes status.
Key points
- Prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus was 5.5% in the Faroe Islands population
- Women with gestational diabetes had significantly higher risk of postpartum haemorrhage ≥ 1,000 mL
- Pre-pregnancy BMI was the strongest predictor of large for gestational age births
- Women with gestational diabetes were older, had higher BMI, and more previous births
- Selective screening strategy identified 60% of pregnant women for glucose tolerance testing
Limitations
This study focuses on maternal health outcomes rather than child well-being; while neonatal outcomes are mentioned, the document does not provide sufficient detail on child-specific health effects or long-term child development impacts. The study is observational and register-based, so causal relationships cannot be definitively established.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. The Faroe Islands follow a selective screening strategy for GDM, and little population-based data exist. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of GDM in the Faroe Islands and its association with perinatal outcomes. METHODS: This nationwide, register-based study included all women with singleton pregnancies from 2021 to 2023 (n = 1,703). Under the national risk-based screening strategy, 1,017 (60%) women underwent a 2-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) using the diagnostic cut-off value of 9.0 mmol/L. Maternal characteristics and selected adverse pregnancy outcomes were examined in relation to GDM. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of GDM was 5.5%. Women with GDM were, in general, older, had more than one previous birth and had higher pre-pregnancy BMI compared to women without GDM. In adjusted logistic regression models, postpartum haemorrhage ≥ 1,000 mL remained significantly associated with GDM. Pre-pregnancy BMI emerged as the strongest predictor of large for gestational age (LGA). CONCLUSIONS: GDM prevalence in the Faroe Islands was 5.5%. Women with GDM had a higher risk of postpartum haemorrhage ≥ 1,000 mL, while associations with elective caesarean section and LGA were attenuated after adjustment. Birthweight outcomes were more strongly related to maternal BMI than to GDM. Continued monitoring of maternal characteristics and pregnancy outcomes is warranted.