A First Look at Gestational Diabetes in Delaware

Abstract Introduction Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) affects approximately 2% to 4% of all pregnant women in the United States each year. Women who have had GDM are at high risk for developing Type2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of modifiable risk factors for developing diabetes among women with previous GDM only in Delaware. Methods Cross-sectional combined years (2020 through 2022) data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were used to estimate and compare the prevalence of modifiable risk factors among three groups of nonpregnant women: those with previous GDM only, those with current diabetes, and those without diabetes. Results In Delaware,13.7 % of nonpregnant women had current self-reported physician-diagnosed diabetes, and 1.9% had previous GDM only. Compared with women without diabetes, women with prior GDM only had a higher prevalence of no leisure-time physical activity (25.2% vs. 21.3%), obesity (61.4% vs. 47.5%), current smoking (43.1% vs 37.3%) and poor mental health (28.5% vs 13.2%). After adjusting for sociodemographic variables, women with previous GDM only were more likely to have no leisure-time physical activity (prevalence odds ratio [POR], 1.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-1.9) and more likely to be obese (POR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.5-2.2), compared with women with no diabetes. Conclusions This study demonstrated a significant prevalence of modifiable risk factors among Delawarean women who have experienced GDM. The findings offer diabetes prevention and control programs critical insights for effectively targeting this high-risk population with appropriate intervention strategies. Key messages • Women with a history of GDM exhibit a higher likelihood of possessing modifiable risk factors for the development of diabetes compared to those without such a background. • It is imperative for healthcare providers and public health officials to facilitate the promotion of healthy lifestyle practices during and following gestation.