Gestational diabetes among women of migrant origin in Finland-a population-based study

Background: Migrant women may have a higher risk for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and the related adverse outcomes. We studied the prevalence of GDM among migrant-origin women in Finland.

Methods: This study used data from the nationwide Medical Birth Register. Information on the most recent singleton births of women delivering between 2004 and 2014 (N = 379 634) was included. Women were classified into nine regional categories based on the country of origin. Finnish origin women were the reference group. Generalized linear models adjusted for maternal age, parity, socioeconomic position, pre-pregnancy body mass index and year of delivery were used to study the association between region/country of origin and GDM.

Results: Among the study population, almost 8% were of migrant origin. The prevalence of GDM varied from 6.1% (women of Latin American/Caribbean origin) to 18.4% (South Asian origin), compared to 8.7% in the Finnish reference group. When adjusted for confounders, women of South Asian, East Asian, Middle Eastern/North African and Russian/former USSR origin had a higher risk for GDM than Finnish origin women. By country of origin, women originating from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Afghanistan, Nepal, China, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Morocco, Turkey, Iran, Iraq and former USSR had a higher risk for GDM than Finnish origin women.

Conclusions: There is substantial variation in the prevalence of GDM by country of origin. Women of South Asian, East Asian and Middle Eastern/North African origin had the highest risk for GDM and may warrant special attention.