Gestational diabetes mellitus and offspring health: A 12‐year register‐based analysis of specialized health care utilization in Finland
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with various health risks in offspring. We investigated the effect of GDM exposure on offspring morbidity in a population-based cohort, assessed by the utilization of specialized health care services up to 12 years of age. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This register-based study, part of the Finnish Gestational Diabetes (FinnGeDi) study, included all singleton children born in Finland in 2009, captured from the Medical Birth Registry. Mothers of children in the study cohort underwent comprehensive screening for GDM. The study cohort included 6235 (11.1%) GDM-exposed children and 49 484 unexposed children. Utilization of specialized health care services was measured as the number of outpatient visits and inpatient treatment episodes (including duration in days). Data were obtained from the Finnish Care Register for Health Care up to 12 years of age and were analyzed separately for early childhood (0-2 years), preschool age (3-6 years), and school age (7-12 years) also. Maternal, birth, and child-related factors were considered, including maternal age, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), parity, maternal hypertensive disorders, socioeconomic status (SES), smoking status, mode of delivery, preterm birth, small for gestational age, and child sex in the adjustment model. RESULTS: Children exposed to maternal GDM had a higher incidence of outpatient visits than unexposed children (adjusted incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-1.13). Among children with multiple outpatient care visits (the highest quartile), GDM-exposed children were overrepresented in early childhood (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.08, 95% CI: 1.00-1.15), preschool age (aOR 1.12, 95% CI: 1.05-1.19), and school age (aOR 1.11, 95% CI: 1.04-1.19). Children exposed to GDM were also more likely to require inpatient treatment than unexposed children (adjusted IRR 1.14, 95% CI: 1.10-1.19). The difference was not explained by shorter episodes (adjusted IRR 1.20, 95% CI: 1.16-1.24 for inpatient treatment days). CONCLUSIONS: Children exposed to maternal GDM required more specialized health care services than unexposed children, with increased utilization of specialized health care observed across all age categories up to 12 years of age.
DOI: 10.1111/aogs.70077
Institutions: Oulu University Hospital, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, University of Oulu, Region Stockholm, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm Health Care Services, University of Helsinki, Tampere University, Helsinki University Hospital, Tampere University Hospital, Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, University of Tampere, HiLIFE – Elämäntieteiden Instituutti, National University of Singapore, Folkhälsans Forskningscentrum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Helsinki Children's Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Obstetrics and Gynecology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,060
Funders: Suomen Lääketieteen Säätiö, Yrjö Jahnssonin Säätiö, Medical Research Center Oulu, Fondazione Diabete Ricerca, Academy of Finland, Juho Vainion Säätiö, Päivikki ja Sakari Sohlbergin Säätiö, Signe ja Ane Gyllenbergin Säätiö, Lastentautien Tutkimussäätiö, Sigrid Juséliuksen Säätiö, Novo Nordisk Fonden
OpenAlex ID: W4415098526