SHBG

This study explored the association between prepregnancy sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in a nested case-control design. Among 256 women with GDM and 512 matched controls, lower SHBG concentrations were significantly associated with increased odds of GDM. Compared with the highest SHBG quartile, the odds of GDM progressively increased with decreasing quartile, with an adjusted odds ratio of 4.06 (95% CI: 1.90–8.65) in the lowest quartile (p for trend <0.001). Women with both SHBG levels below the median (<64.5 nmol/L) and a BMI ≥25 had a fivefold increased risk of GDM compared to normal-weight women with higher SHBG levels (OR: 5.34, 95% CI: 3.00–9.49). These findings suggest that low prepregnancy SHBG levels are an independent risk factor for GDM and may help identify women at higher risk for early prevention strategies.