Gestational diabetes: more likely to have heart problems

8% of pregnant women had Gestational Diabetes in 2012 in metropolitan France according to the website ofHealth Insurance. A percentage which would be constantly increasing due, in particular, to the increasingly late age at which the first pregnancies take place.

Blood sugar level gets too high

Gestational diabetes – or diabetes of pregnancy – is an increase in blood sugar (i.e. the amount of sugar in the blood) that appears when a woman is pregnant and disappears after childbirth. During the first half of pregnancy, the rate of insulin secretion (which regulates blood sugar levels) and sensitivity to this hormone increase, which can lead to drops in blood sugar called hypoglycaemia, especially at night and wake. From around the fourth month, glucose tolerance decreases. The placenta increases its production of hormones which induces the body’s resistance to the action of insulin. In response, the pancreas secretes more insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. But, in some women, the pancreas does not fulfill this function and the blood sugar level then becomes too high… This is called gestational diabetes, which is dangerous for the mother and the fetus .

Heart and cardiovascular risks

Among the risks, the mother-to-be may suffer from high blood pressure, develop pre-eclampsia (i.e. disease of pregnancy that combines high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine) and may also have a caesarean section or premature delivery. But a recent study may well add another danger for expectant mothers: heart and cardiovascular problems linked to gestational diabetes. This work was published in the journal American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AJOG) and are available on the website AJOG.

According to the researchers, women with gestational diabetes are more likely to have heart and cardiovascular problems later in life. To achieve this result, the scientists analyzed the health data of approximately 500,000 participants, including 219,330 who had given birth to at least one baby between 2006 and 2010. Result: 13,094 – or 6% – developed cardiovascular disease and most had had gestational diabetes. On the other hand, the older they got the greater this risk, which means that the consequences of gestational diabetes can take place years after childbirth.

Better analyze problems to avoid them

In detail, the health problems that these women had were mainly heart attacks, strokes, heart failure or even atrial fibrillation, a heart disorder that can be responsible for palpitations. “We know that gestational diabetes can lead to heart problems, believes Seung Mi Lee, one of the authors. This research shows us the extent of heart health issues that can occur long after childbirth. The next step is to look at what kind of preventative measures can be put in place during pregnancy to hopefully prevent cardiovascular disease from developing later in life.”.