# Association between In Vitro fertilization and gestational diabetes mellitus: a multicenter cohort study

## TL;DR

This study finds that in vitro fertilization is linked to a higher risk of gestational diabetes, especially in younger and first-time mothers.

## Contribution

The study identifies IVF as an independent risk factor for gestational diabetes across specific demographic subgroups.

## Key findings

- IVF-conceived pregnancies had a 15% higher risk of gestational diabetes compared to natural conceptions.
- Younger women (<35 years), leaner women (BMI <24), and first-time mothers showed heightened IVF-associated GDM risk.
- No significant associations were found in older women (≥35 years), those with higher BMI (≥24), or multiparous women.

## Abstract

This multicenter retrospective cohort study investigates the association between in vitro fertilization (IVF) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk across demographic subgroups.

Using clinical data from 61,329 pregnant women (3,902 IVF-conceived; 57,427 naturally conceived) across three tertiary hospitals in China, we compared GDM incidence diagnosed through standardized oral glucose tolerance tests (24-28 gestational weeks).

The IVF group exhibited significantly higher GDM incidence (17.32% vs. 12.91%, p<0.001). The analysis adjusted for age, parity, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), family history of DM, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and creatinine revealed IVF-conceived pregnancies had 15% elevated GDM risk. Subgroup analyses demonstrated heightened IVF-associated GDM risk in women aged <35 years, those with pre-pregnancy BMI <24 kg/m2, and primiparous women. No significant associations were observed in older women (≥35 years), individuals with BMI ≥24 kg/m2, or multiparous women.

These findings identify IVF as an independent GDM risk factor, particularly in younger, leaner, and first-time mothers. The results underscore the importance of stratified prenatal monitoring and mechanistic investigations into fertility treatments’ metabolic impacts.