Annual Body Mass Index Gain and Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in a Subsequent Pregnancy.

Introduction: Weight change during the interpregnancy is related to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the subsequent pregnancy. In interpregnancy care/counseling, the timeframe for goal setting is important, while the timing of the next conception is unpredictable and preventing age-related body weight gain is difficult. This study aimed to investigate the association between annual weight gain during the interpregnancy, which provide clearer timeframe, and GDM in subsequent pregnancies.

Methods: This multicenter retrospective study was conducted by collecting data on two pregnancies of the same women in 2009-2019. The association between annual BMI gain and GDM during the subsequent pregnancy was examined.

Results: This study included 1,640 pregnant women. A history of GDM [adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 26.22; 95% confidence interval (CI), 14.93-46.07] and annual BMI gain (aOR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.22-1.81) were related to GDM during the subsequent pregnancy. In the women with a pre-pregnant BMI of <25.0 kg/m2 and without GDM during the index pregnancy, an annual BMI gain of ≥0.6 kg/m2/year during the interpregnancy were associated with GDM in subsequent pregnancies; however, in the other subgroups, it was not associated with GDM in subsequent pregnancies.

Conclusions: For women with a pre-pregnant BMI of <25.0 kg/m2 and without GDM during the index pregnancy, maintaining an annual BMI gain of <0.6 kg/m2/year may prevent GDM during the subsequent pregnancy.