The effect of myo-inositol supplementation on gestational diabetes mellitus prevention: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Raquel Poyatos-León, Vicente Martínez-Vizcaíno, Irene Sequí-Domínguez et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed myo-inositol during pregnancy or before conception to prevent gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in women without preexisting diabetes. It included 12 randomized controlled trials comprising 4765 women, comparing supplementation with placebo or standard care. Myo-inositol was associated with a 44% reduction in GDM risk. The review found no significant differences in secondary maternal outcomes, including hypertensive disorders and cesarean delivery, or neonatal outcomes such as macrosomia, preterm birth, and neonatal hypoglycemia.
Key findings
- Across 12 randomized controlled trials comprising 4765 women, myo-inositol corresponded to a 44% reduction in GDM risk versus control.
- No significant differences were observed in hypertensive disorders or cesarean delivery.
- No significant differences were observed in macrosomia, preterm birth, or neonatal hypoglycemia.
Why it matters
GDM prevention is relevant to maternal metabolic health, and this synthesis of randomized trials suggests myo-inositol may reduce its occurrence among women without preexisting diabetes. The absence of significant differences in the reported secondary outcomes means the evidence presented does not establish broader maternal or neonatal benefits.
What to keep in mind
The trials had some concerns regarding bias, and the abstract does not provide pooled relative risks or confidence intervals for the reported GDM reduction.