MECHANISMS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY: Parity and risk of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis

Objective

Epidemiologic studies regarding the association between parity and risk of type 2 diabetes have yielded inconsistent results. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis to determine the relation between parity and type 2 diabetes risk.

Methods

We searched PubMed and Embase for published epidemiologic studies that assessed the relation between parity and risk of type 2 diabetes up to 31 March 2016. A dose-response random-effects model was used to combine study-specific relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Potential sources of heterogeneity were explored by meta-regression and subgroup analyses.

Results

Seven cohort studies, 1 case-control study and 9 cross-sectional studies including 296 923 participants were eligible for inclusion. The combined RR for the highest versus lowest category of parity indicated a 54% increment in type 2 diabetes risk (95% CI: 29–83%). In the cubic spline model, a nonlinear association was found between parity and risk of type 2 diabetes (P = 0.02 for nonlinearity). Compared with nulliparous women, the estimated RR (95% CI) of type 2 diabetes for women with one to seven children was 1.01 (0.96–1.07), 1.08 (1.00–1.16), 1.20 (1.12–1.30), 1.32 (1.22–1.42), 1.37 (1.27–1.48), 1.39 (1.26–1.52) and 1.39 (1.23–1.57) respectively.

Conclusions

Higher parity is significantly associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Further studies are warranted to fully adjust for the potential confounders and explore the causality between parity and type 2 diabetes risk.

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