Is Polyhexamethylene Guanidine and Oligo(2-(2-Ethoxy) Ethoxyethyl Guanidium Chloride Exposure Related to Gestational Diabetes?

This study aims to investigate the association between exposure to toxic indoor chemicals, specifically polyhexamethylene guanidine (PHMG) and oligo(2-(2-ethoxy) ethoxyethyl guanidinium) chloride (PGH), used in humidifier disinfectants, and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We confirmed pregnancy from 2003 to 2017 and identified GDM by linking a cohort of claimants who reported exposure to PHMG/PGH with National Health Insurance Service data. The GDM incidence was calculated, and PHMG/PGH exposure characteristics-exposure status, the humidifier's distance/location, and exposure duration/hours-were investigated.