It is well documented that race plays a role in gestational diabetes risk. However, a new study shows that the race of the baby’s father may also play a role, according to an article from Reuters Health.
Researchers examined data from 140,000 women in one of California’s health plans. It found that Asian women had the highest rate of gestational diabetes at about 7%, followed by Native American women at 5.6%, Latin women at 5% and black women at between 3% and 4%.
When looking at the date the researchers found that when the baby’s father was Asian, the risk of developing gestational diabetes was 41% higher than if the father was white. For Hispanic fathers, the risk was 29% higher compared to white fathers.
Gestational diabetes is estimated to impact between 3% and 8% of all pregnancies. For most, the condition is temporary and disappears after the birth of the child. However, women that experience this condition are at an elevated risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.
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