Effect of folic acid supplementation in the association between short sleep duration and gestational diabetes mellitus

PurposeTo examine whether or not folic acid (FA) supplementation may modify the relationships between duration or quality of sleep and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk.MethodsIn a case-control study of patients with GDM and controls, mothers were interviewed face-to-face at enrollment. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Scale was used to assess duration and quality of sleep during early pregnancy, and information on FA supplementation and covariates was obtained using a semiquantitative questionnaire.ResultsAmong 396 patients with GDM and 904 controls, GDM risk increased by 328% and 148% among women with short (< 7 h) and long (>= 9 h) sleep durations, respectively, compared to those averaging 7-8.9 h sleep. Mothers with poor sleep quality increased their GDM risk by an average of 75% (all p < 0.05). The effect of short sleep duration on GDM risk was much weaker among women with adequate FA supplementation (taking supplements containing >= 0.4 mg FA daily for each day of the first three months of pregnancy) than that among women with inadequate FA supplementation, with a p-value for interaction = 0.003. There were no significant effects of FA on links among long duration and poor quality of sleep with GDM risk.ConclusionsSleep duration and quality in early gestation were related to increased GDM risks. FA supplementation may reduce GDM risk associated with short sleep duration.

Automated summary

This study investigated the relationship between sleep duration, quality, and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), as well as the impact of folic acid (FA) supplementation on this relationship. The results showed that both short and long sleep durations were associated with increased risk of GDM. Poor sleep quality also increased the risk. However, adequate FA supplementation was found to mitigate the increased risk of GDM associated with short sleep duration.