Sleep duration and quality, and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnant Chinese women

Aims: To examine the association between sleep disturbances during pregnancy and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus. Methods: From 2010 to 2012, 12 506 women in Tianjin, China, were screened using a 50-g 1-h glucose challenge test at 24–28 weeks’ gestation. Those with glucose challenge test values of ≥ 7.8 mmol/l were invited to further undergo a 75-g 2-h oral glucose tolerance test. Gestational diabetes was determined according to the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Group's definition. Self-reported sleep duration and sleep quality during pregnancy was documented using a modified questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to obtain odds ratios and 95% CIs. Results: A total of 919 women (7.3%) had gestational diabetes. Sleep duration was found to have an approximate J-shaped association with gestational diabetes risk after adjusting for covariates. Compared with a sleep duration of 7–9 h/day (43% of 12 506 women), the adjusted odds ratios for sleep duration of ≥ 9 h/day (55%) and < 7 h/day (2%) for gestational diabetes were 1.21 (95% CI 1.03–1.42) and 1.36 (95% CI 0.87–2.14), respectively. Compared with good sleep quality (37.9% of 12 506 women), the adjusted odds ratios of moderate (59.9%) and poor sleep quality (2.2%) for gestational diabetes were 1.19 (95% CI 1.01–1.41) and 1.61 (95% CI 1.04–2.50), respectively. Conclusion: In pregnant Chinese women, poor sleep quality, and shorter and longer duration of sleep during pregnancy were independently associated with an increased risk of gestational diabetes.