Background: We wanted to describe diabetes (prevalence and types) and pregnancy outcomes among women with diabetes in a multiethnic population.
Material and methods: 509 pregnancies (231 from Asia/Africa and 278 from Norway) were assessed in a population-based, descriptive study of pregnancy with diabetes in Oslo 1993-1998. The outpatient clinic at Aker University Hospital provided information about pregnancies with diabetes and Statistics Norway provided population data. Data were analysed with frequency-analyses and cross-tables.
Results: The proportion of pregnancies with diabetes among women 15-49 years was seven times higher in the Asia/Africa group (1.8%, 95% CI = 1.6-2.1) than in the group of ethnic Norwegians (0.3%, 95% CI = 0.2-0.3). Gestational diabetes made up 80% of the diabetes cases among women born in Asia/Africa (13% of type 2 and 5% of type 1) and 48% of the cases among women born in Norway (5% were type 2 and 45% were type 1). In the group with manifest diabetes we found a body mass index > 30 kg/m2 in 42% for women from Asia/Africa and 12% for those from Norway. The percentage of Caesarean section was 37% in the Asia/Africa-group and 42% in the Norway-group. Almost 10% of the newborns in both groups had a birth weight > 4500 g. A postpartum glucose intolerance test for women with gestational diabetes showed that 26% of the women from Asia/Africa had type 2 diabetes and 12% of those from Norway. Information was missing for 43% of those from Asia/Africa and 35% of those from Norway.
Interpretation: Diabetes in pregnancy is much more prevalent in women from Asia/Africa than in women born in Norway. Women from Asia/Africa and Norway had different diabetes profiles. High birth weight and interventions in labour were frequent in both groups. Many with gestational diabetes had diabetes type 2.