Gestational diabetes mellitus and COVID-19: The epidemic during the pandemic

Table 2 Risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus

Risk factors for GDM	Description
Increasing maternal age	Increases in gestational diabetes were seen in each maternal age group, and rates rose steadily with maternal age; in 2021, the rate for mothers aged ≥ 40 yr (15.6%) was nearly six times as high as the rate for mothers aged < 20 yr (2.7%)[16,25]
Past medical history of GDM in a previous pregnancy OR family history of type 2 DM	The strongest risk factor for gestational diabetes mellitus, with reported recurrence rates of up to 84%[26]
Race/ethnicities at increased risk for development of GDM	Women of Hispanic[17], other than white European origin[18], Asian[19], and indigenous descent[17-20]
Prevalence of GDM by ethnicity	The highest prevalence using the 2000 ADA diagnostic criteria among Filipinas (10.9%) and Asians (10.2%), followed by Hispanics (6.8%), non-Hispanic Whites (4.5%), and Black Americans (4.4%)[28]

The table presents risk factors associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and the prevalence of GDM by ethnicity. Factors include increasing maternal age, past history of GDM, family history of type 2 diabetes, and specific ethnicities at higher risk for GDM development. These factors aid in identifying individuals at risk for GDM. GDM: Gestational diabetes mellitus; ADA: American Diabetes Association; DM: Diabetes mellitus; OR: Operating room.