By Colin Kenny, GP, Dromore
In this prospective study, 1035 female participants (a mixture of Asian, black, Hispanic and white women) without diabetes at baseline, but who had a history of gestational diabetes, were enrolled 2 months postnatally and had annual follow up for a further 2 years. A detailed history of type and length of breastfeeding was established at baseline. The women had an oral glucose tolerance test on enrolment and the investigators determined how many women developed type 2 diabetes during the follow-up period.
Ninety-five per cent of the woman were followed up and evaluated at 2 years. The investigators found that higher lactation intensity and longer duration were independently associated with lower 2-year incidences of diabetes after a pregnancy complicated by gestational diabetes. They concluded that higher intensity and longer duration of breastfeeding might reduce diabetes indidence after a pregnancy complicated by gestational diabetes.
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