Ethnic predisposition of diabetes mellitus in the patients with previous history of gestational diabetes mellitus: a review

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The worldwide prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is increasing day by day. However, there is a knowledge gap regarding the effect of ethnic and geographical distribution on the risk of developing Diabetes Mellitus (DM) in women with history of GDM. This review was conducted to find out the role of ethnic and geographical distribution on the risk of developing DM is women with GDM.

Areas covered: In this review we conducted a comprehensive search of published studies through different electronic databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, CINAHL, CINAHL plus and EMBASE) published between 1990 and 2017. The studies which were published in English investigated the risk of development of DM in women with previous history of GDM, reported outcome according to ethnicity with specific criteria of reporting DM and GDM, reported development of diabetes after 6 month of delivery in women with GDM during pregnancy were included. Initially, 350 articles were identified, among which 16 articles were included in the final review.

Expert commentary: Studies showed the increased risk of developing subsequent DM is associated with precedent GDM. Around 7-84% women developed diabetes after GDM in five years follow up, where some studies reported the risk continues to increase with increasing age. Risk of DM was found higher for some specific ethnicities, irrespective of the location of the study conducted. East Indian women showed the highest risk of postpartum DM after GDM and the crude prevalence remained almost similar in all form of study worldwide. Public health programme should focus more on women belonging to high-risk ethnicity of GDM for the prevention of postpartum DM.

KEYWORDS:

• Diabetes mellitus
• pregnancy in diabetics
• gestational diabetes mellitus
• continental population groups
• genetic predisposition to disease

Acknowledgement

We are grateful to Dr. Puspita Hossain for her valuable feedback in the manuscript.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties. Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This manuscript was not funded.