FOR THE BRAZILIAN GESTATIONAL DIABETES STUDY GROUPOBJECTIVE -To evaluate American Diabetes Association (ADA) and World Health Organization (WHO) diagnostic criteria for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) against pregnancy outcomes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS -This cohort study consecutively enrolledBrazilian adult women attending general prenatal clinics. All women were requested to undertake a standardized 2-h 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) between their estimated 24th and 28th gestational weeks and were then followed to delivery. New ADA criteria for GDM require two plasma glucose values Ն5.3 mmol/l (fasting), Ն10 mmol/l (1 h), and Ն8.6 mmol/l (2 h). WHO criteria require a plasma glucose Ն7.0 mmol/l (fasting) or Ն7.8 mmol/l (2 h). Individuals with hyperglycemia indicative of diabetes outside of pregnancy were excluded.RESULTS -Among the 4,977 women studied, 2.4% (95% CI 2.0 -2.9) presented with GDM by ADA criteria and 7.2% (6.5-7.9) by WHO criteria. After adjustment for the effects of age, obesity, and other risk factors, GDM by ADA criteria predicted an increased risk of macrosomia (RR 1.29, 95% CI 0.73-2.18), preeclampsia (2.28, 1.22-4.16), and perinatal death (3.10, 1.42-6.47). Similarly, GDM by WHO criteria predicted increased risk for macrosomia (1.45, 1.06 -1.95), preeclampsia (1.94, 1.22-3.03), and perinatal death (1.59, 0.86 -2.90). Of women positive by WHO criteria, 260 (73%) were negative by ADA criteria. Conversely, 22 (18%) women positive by ADA criteria were negative by WHO criteria.CONCLUSIONS -GDM based on a 2-h 75-g OGTT defined by either WHO or ADA criteria predicts adverse pregnancy outcomes.

These findings show a high incidence of LEAs in Brazil, when compared to countries such as Spain, that is attributable mainly to peripheral vascular disease and diabetes mellitus.