Reducing the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnant women with metabolic syndrome by dietary intervention during early pregnancy

Objective: The study objective was to explore the clinical observation of reducing the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in pregnant women with metabolic syndrome (MS) by dietary intervention during early pregnancy. Methods: Singleton pregnant women who set early pregnancy filings and had regular prenatal care and delivery at Zengcheng Hospital of Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center of Guangdong Province from January 2020 to June 2021 were screened out according to the diagnostic criteria for MS promulgated by the International Diabetes Federation in 2005. Pregnant women meeting the diagnostic criteria for MS were randomly divided into the intervention group (n = 80) and the control group (n = 80). The changes in the indicators of MS (fasting plasma glucose [FPG], total cholesterol [TC], triglyceride [TG], high-density lipoprotein [HDL], low-density lipoprotein [LDL], systolic blood pressure [SBP], and diastolic blood pressure [DBP]) in early and late pregnancy were observed, and the incidence of GDM was analyzed. Results: There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in TC, TG, FPG, LDL, HDL, SBP, or DBP of women in early pregnancy between the two groups. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in TC and TG of women in late pregnancy between the two groups. The FPG, LDL, SBP, and DBP of the intervention group were lower than those of the control group, and the HDL of the intervention group was higher than that of the control group, which showed a significant difference in the two groups (P < 0.05). The incidence of GDM in the intervention group was lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Pregnant women with MS before their pregnancy were at a high risk of GDM. Diet and exercise interventions in early pregnancy could improve the indicators of their blood metabolism and lipid metabolism, which could effectively reduce the incidence of GDM and thus improve the adverse pregnancy outcome and ensure the safety of the mothers and the infants.