Collagen type 1 polymorfism as a risk factor for urinary incontinence in pregnant women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, characterized by glucose intolerance of variable intensity, firstly detected during pregnancy can lead to increased frequency of abnormalities when compared with normoglycemic pregnancy. It is the most frequent medical complication during pregnancy and its incidence varies between 3 and 7%, depending on the population studied and the diagnostic criteria used. The evidences related to the clinical consequences of gestational diabetes mellitus have been widely discussed and documented in the literature due to the negative implications related to urinary incontinency in women's lives. Polymorphisms are genetic markers that occur when a locus has two or more alleles, whose frequencies exceed 1% of the population.The importance of collagen to the pelvic floor has been well documented. Collagen type 1 is essential for the rigid support of the pelvic organs and it plays an important role in the support and resistance in the connective tissue of the vagina, especially because of its large fibers and ligaments, fascia, cartilage and tendons. Gestational diabetes represents the anonymous, unknown and clinically non-characterized interaction. It seems to be a promising model for the screening of the association between diabetes and urinary incontinence. This paper aims at analyzing the relationship between collagen type 1 polymorphism and urinary incontinence in women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and at verifying the interference of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in the occurrence of urinary incontinence during pregnancy. It also investigates whether gestational urinary incontinence interferes in the quality of life of pregnant women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and analyzes the level of sexual satisfaction of pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus. Data will be collected from the database of the Prenatal Clinic. Approximately 580 women divided into four groups, with at least 145 women per group, will be analyzed. The groups are: diabetic incontinent, nondiabetic incontinent, diabetic continent, nondiabetic continent. The collection will include the use of an evaluation form, a questionnaire about quality of life for women with urinary incontinence, and another questionnaire about sexual response in pregnancy, anthropometric measurements and collection of saliva samples. In order to collect saliva samples the Oragene OASIS ® Kit, which is designed to extract large amount of DNA present in saliva, will be used. The statistical analysis as well as the tests to compare variables and groups will be chosen according to the results, characteristics and behavior of the variables. The starting point of this research is sample collecting from June 2013 to June 2015. (AU)