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Maternal height as a predictor of glucose intolerance in the postpartum and its relationship with maternal pre-gestational weight

  • Gynecologic Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Short stature predicts higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. We studied the association between height and glucose intolerance in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and whether this association differed according to body mass index (BMI).

Methods

Retrospective study of the Portuguese GDM registry. Exclusion criteria: missing data on postpartum oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) or BMI. Endpoint: postpartum glucose intolerance (diabetes mellitus or prediabetes on the 6–8 weeks postpartum OGTT). Women were divided by mean height and compared. A multivariate logistic regression was used, and the analysis was stratified by BMI (cut-off: 30 kg/m2) and interaction was tested.

Results

We included 7402 women; mean height was 161.9 ± 6.2 cm. Taller women had lower BMI and lower rates of glucose intolerance (6.8 vs. 8.8%, p = 0.002). Women with BMI < 30 kg/m2 were taller than those with obesity. Height associated with glucose intolerance. The multivariate adjusted OR of glucose intolerance was 0.98 (95% CI 0.96–0.99), p = 0.001, per 1 cm increase in height. This association was only observed in women with BMI < 30 kg/m2: OR 0.97 (95% CI 0.95–0.99), < 0.001. There was no such association in women with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2: OR 0.99 (95% CI 0.97–1.02), p = 0.65. P for interaction between BMI and height was 0.09.

Conclusions

In non-obese pre-gestational women, height is inversely associated with postpartum glucose intolerance. Per 1 cm increase in height, women present a 3% decrease in the risk of developing diabetes mellitus or prediabetes.

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Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Endocrinology Department, Centro Hospitalar Do Tâmega E Sousa, Avenida Do Hospital Padre Américo 210, Guilhufe, 4564-007, Penafiel, Portugal

    Catarina Cidade-Rodrigues, Filipe M. Cunha, Catarina Chaves, Margarida Silva-Vieira, Mariana Martinho & Margarida Almeida

  2. Gynecology and Obstetrics Department, Centro Hospitalar Do Tâmega E Sousa, Avenida Do Hospital Padre Américo 210, Guilhufe, 4564-007, Penafiel, Portugal

    Fabiana Castro, Anabela Melo, Odete Figueiredo & Ana Morgado

  3. Endocrinology Department, Centro Hospitalar de Trás-Os-Montes E Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal

    Catarina Pereira & Cláudia Nogueira

  4. Endocrinology Department, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Do Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Sílvia Paredes

  5. Obstetrics Department, Maternidade Bissaya Barreto, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Maria C. Almeida

Authors
  1. Catarina Cidade-Rodrigues
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Contributions

CC-R and FMC conceived and designed the analysis. CC-R wrote the paper. FMC performed the analysis. CC-R, FMC, CC, FC, CP, SP, MS-V, AM, OF, CN, MM and MCA collected the data. MA, AM and MCA reviewed the manuscript. All authors approved the final article.

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Correspondence to Catarina Cidade-Rodrigues.

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Cidade-Rodrigues, C., Cunha, F.M., Chaves, C. et al. Maternal height as a predictor of glucose intolerance in the postpartum and its relationship with maternal pre-gestational weight. Arch Gynecol Obstet 307, 601–608 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-022-06809-5

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