Risk factors
In 1995, Moses et al assessed the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus in patients with various risk factors and recommended universal testing.[46] Gestational diabetes mellitus was diagnosed in 6.7% of the women overall, in 8.5% of the women aged 30 years or older, in 12.3% of the women with a preconception body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or greater, and in 11.6% of women with a family history of diabetes in a first-degree relative. A combination of one or all of these risk factors predicted gestational diabetes mellitus in 61% of cases. Gestational diabetes mellitus was present in 4.8% of the women without risk factors.
A nested case-control study indicated that another risk factor for the development of gestational diabetes is the presence of hypertension before pregnancy or during early pregnancy. The report, which looked at 381 women with hypertension or prehypertension (the latter being defined in the study as 120-139/80-89 mmHg), as well as at 942 control subjects, found that prehypertension before or during early pregnancy was associated with a slightly increased risk of gestational diabetes, but hypertension was associated with a twofold increase in risk.High cholesterol and egg intake prior to and during pregnancy increase the risk of gestational diabetes.