This study aimed in this study was to investigate the association between poor sleep patterns (PSPs) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Our analysis was based on a population-based sample from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data collected between 2007 and 2018. The association between PSPs and T2DM in women with a history of GDM was assessed using logistic regression models. We performed subgroup analyses stratified by age, body mass index (BMI), race, educational level, moderate recreational activities, smoking behavior, and parity.

A total of 917 women with a history of GDM were included in our study. Compared to the non-PSPs group, participants with PSPs had a higher possibility for T2DM in women with a history of GDM (odds ratio (OR) = 2.37, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.45–3.86). Furthermore, this association was more prominent in those aged between 35 and 49 (OR = 2.20, 95% CI: 1.03–4.71), a BMI ≥30 kg/m² (OR = 2.56, 95% CI: 1.43–4.60), non-Hispanic white (OR = 5.34, 95% CI: 2.09–13.66) or non-Hispanic black (OR = 5.02, 95% CI: 1.48–17.06), educated beyond high school (OR = 2.65, 95% CI: 1.35–5.23), not engaged in moderate recreational activities (OR = 3.25, 95% CI: 1.72–6.14) groups and parity ≥4 (OR = 2.62, 95% CI: 1.03–6.63).

Our findings suggest that PSPs are positively associated with the prevalence of T2DM in women with a history of GDM, which demonstrates that we need targeted interventions, especially for those at high risk. Future research should evaluate how sleep patterns affect metabolic health and develop new ways to lower the risk of T2DM in women with a history of GDM.