The goal of this study was to estimate the effects of childbearing on subsequent glucose tolerance and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) prevalence. A sample of subjects from 64 different locations in the United States were recruited for inclusion in the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. A complex survey design was used to select a probability sample of subjects from each location. A total of 4577 women were recruited, of whom 3057 underwent clinical and laboratory evaluation for the presence of diabetes mellitus. Women were classified as to their glucose tolerance based on the results of an oral glucose tolerance test or previous physician diagnosis of diabetes mellitus combined with current use of hypoglycemic medication. Childbearing was defined as number of live births experiencedby each woman at the time of the interview. Fasting plasma glucose increasedlinearly with increasing number of live births (coefficient 0.009, 95% confidence interval [Cl] 0.006–0.012), as did the 2-h value (coefficient 0.015, 95% Cl 0.009–0.021). Adjustment for age, body mass index (BMI), education, and income substantially reduced the magnitude of the association between childbearing and either plasma glucose measurement. When the prevalence of NIDDM in relation to childbearing was examined with logistic regressionanalysis, a significant linear increase in diabetes prevalence was seen withincreasing number of live births (relative prevalence of NIDDM, 1 birth vs. 0 = 1.73, 95% Cl 1.39-2.15), but adjustment for age, BMI, education, and income greatly reduced the magnitude of this association (relative prevalence of NIDDM, 1 birth vs. 0 = 1.07, 95% Cl 0.98-1.17). These data do not support a role for childbearing in the subsequent development of NIDDM.
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Original Articles|
August 01 1990
Effects of Childbearing on Glucose Tolerance and NIDDM Prevalence
Edward J Boyko, MD, MPH;
Edward J Boyko, MD, MPH
Departments of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, and the Medical Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center
Seattle, Washington
; and the Departments of Psychiatry and Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine
Denver, Colorado
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Beth W Alderman, MD, MPH;
Beth W Alderman, MD, MPH
Departments of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, and the Medical Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center
Seattle, Washington
; and the Departments of Psychiatry and Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine
Denver, Colorado
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Ellen M Keane, MSPH;
Ellen M Keane, MSPH
Departments of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, and the Medical Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center
Seattle, Washington
; and the Departments of Psychiatry and Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine
Denver, Colorado
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Anna E Baron, PhD
Anna E Baron, PhD
Departments of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, and the Medical Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center
Seattle, Washington
; and the Departments of Psychiatry and Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine
Denver, Colorado
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Address correspondence and reprint requests to Edward J. Boyko, MD, MPH, Veterans Administration Medical Center (111 M), 1660 South Columbian Way, Seattle, WA 98108.
Diabetes Care 1990;13(8):848–854
Article history
Received:
September 25 1989
Revision Received:
April 06 1990
Accepted:
April 06 1990
PubMed:
2209319
Connected Content
A correction has been published:
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Citation
Edward J Boyko, Beth W Alderman, Ellen M Keane, Anna E Baron; Effects of Childbearing on Glucose Tolerance and NIDDM Prevalence. Diabetes Care 1 August 1990; 13 (8): 848–854. https://doi.org/10.2337/diacare.13.8.848
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