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In vitro fertilization increases the odds of gestational diabetes: a nationwide register-based cohort study

Vaajala M, Liukkonen R, Ponkilainen V, Mattila VM, Kekki M, Kuitunen I

Published February 2023 Acta diabetologica, 60(2), 319-321
DOI 10.1007/s00592-022-01975-z PMID 36271972 PMC PMC9852144

RRM Academy Synopsis

IVF Pregnancies Linked to Higher Odds of Gestational Diabetes

This Finnish study tracked 397,810 pregnancies over 20 years. About 31 out of 100 IVF pregnancies had gestational diabetes. Only about 26 out of 100 natural pregnancies did.

Key Findings

  • Among 767 IVF pregnancies, 239 (31.2%) involved gestational diabetes, compared with 101,189 of 392,875 (25.8%) natural pregnancies (p < 0.001).
  • After adjusting for maternal age, BMI, smoking status and number of fetuses, IVF pregnancies had higher odds of gestational diabetes (adjusted OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.07-1.47).
  • Mothers with IVF pregnancies were older on average (33.9 years vs. 30.5 years) and had lower average BMI (25.3 vs. 26.3) than mothers with natural pregnancies (p < 0.001 for both).
  • Multiple pregnancies (more than one fetus) were more common after IVF: 3.5% of IVF pregnancies versus 1.4% of natural pregnancies (p < 0.001).
  • Smoking during pregnancy was reported less often among IVF pregnancies (3.6%) than natural pregnancies (14.3%).

Interpretation

This study looked back at Finland's national birth records. The analysis compared IVF pregnancies with pregnancies that began naturally over 20 years. The registry is large and nearly complete, which is a strength. But IVF pregnancies were a small share: 767 out of more than 397,000. The study adjusted for known risk factors like age, weight, and smoking. The dataset could not check for prior type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Testing for gestational diabetes also got more thorough partway through the study, which may have found more cases over time. The findings show a link between IVF and gestational diabetes. The data cannot prove that IVF causes the higher rate.

RRM Context

Restorative reproductive medicine treats the cause of infertility. The approach does not bypass it with IVF. This study adds to evidence that IVF pregnancies carry a higher risk of gestational diabetes. The risk exists beyond live birth outcomes. The distinction matters when weighing IVF against root-cause care.

Our editorial summary of this paper, not the article's abstract.

Abstract not indexed.

By this author

Related research

Matias Vaajala, Rasmus Liukkonen, Ville Ponkilainen, Ville M Mattila, Maiju Kekki, Ilari Kuitunen
M Vaajala, R Liukkonen, V Ponkilainen, V Mattila, M Kekki, I Kuitunen
PMID 36271972 36271972 DOI 10.1007/s00592-022-01975-z 10.1007/s00592-022-01975-z Vaajala et al. 2023, Vaajala 2023

Keywords

Gestational diabetes, In vitro fertilization, Pregnancy

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