Is COVID-19 Vaccination Associated with Lower Rates of Gestational Diabetes? A Cross-Sectional Study in Karachi, Pakistan
COVID-19 Vaccination and Gestational Diabetes
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62807/jowach.v2i2.2025.26-28Keywords:
COVID-19, Pregnancy, Gestational Diabetes, Vaccination, Maternal Health, PakistanAbstract
ABSTRACT
Background
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a frequent metabolic disorder in pregnancy linked with increased maternal and neonatal morbidity. The COVID-19 pandemic added further metabolic stressors. While COVID-19 vaccination has been shown to mitigate infection-related complications, its potential role in lowering GDM risk remains underexplored, particularly in low-resource settings.
Methods
A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted at Korangi General Hospital, Karachi (April – May 2022). Two hundred pregnant women (100 vaccinated, 100 unvaccinated) who delivered at the facility were enrolled using purposive sampling. Data on demographics, vaccination details, and obstetric outcomes were obtained via structured questionnaires and verified through hospital records. Gestational diabetes was diagnosed using WHO-endorsed 75-g OGTT criteria (≥140 mg/dL at 2 hours). Statistical analyses employed χ² tests, t-tests, and multivariate logistic regression controlling for confounders (age, BMI, hypertension, infection status). Robustness was assessed using propensity-score matching (PSM). ERB approval was obtained (Ref No: SZABIST/PH/2022-042).
Results
GDM prevalence was 6 percent in vaccinated vs 14 percent in unvaccinated participants (p = 0.04). Adjusted analysis showed vaccination reduced GDM odds by 58 percent (aOR 0.42; 95% CI 0.18–0.96; p = 0.04). The association persisted after PSM (aOR 0.44; 95% CI 0.19–0.93; p = 0.04). No significant difference was noted by vaccine type or trimester of vaccination.
Conclusions
COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy is associated with a significantly lower risk of GDM, possibly via immune-modulation and stress-attenuation pathways. Integrating vaccination within routine antenatal care may confer dual metabolic and infectious-disease protection.
Keywords: COVID-19, Pregnancy, Gestational Diabetes, Vaccination, Maternal Health, Pakistan
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