History of Spontaneous Abortion Tied to Gestational Diabetes Risk

WEDNESDAY, March 9, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- A history of spontaneous abortion (SAB) is associated with an increased risk for gestational diabetes in subsequent pregnancies, according to a study published online March 3 in JAMA Network Open.

Yan Zhao, Ph.D., from Tongji University in Shanghai, and colleagues assessed whether a history of SAB or induced abortion is associated with an increased risk for gestational diabetes in subsequent pregnancies. The analysis included data for 102,259 pregnant women (2014 through 2019).

The researchers found that pregnant women who experienced only SAB (relative risk, 1.25) or both SAB and induced abortion (relative risk, 1.15) had a higher risk for developing gestational diabetes (relative risks for gestational diabetes: one SAB, 1.18; two SABs, 1.41; more than two SABs, 1.43) versus pregnant women with no history of abortion. There was no association observed between history of induced abortion and gestational diabetes.

"These findings suggest that pregnant women with a history of SAB, especially those with a history of recurrent SAB, should pay particular attention to monitoring their blood glucose and implementing early prevention of and intervention for gestational diabetes," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text