Quality of Reporting of Cohort Studies Investigating Preconception Risk Factors of Gestational Diabetes According to the STROBE Statement

Background and Objectives: The results of cohort studies could be used in evidence-based medicine in case they have a good quality and robust methodology. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the quality of cohort studies investigating preconception risk factors of gestational diabetes.   Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the cohort studies investigating the preconception risk factors of gestational diabetes during 2008-2018 indexed in PubMed, Scopus and Science Direct were searched. Keywords used for search included cohort study, pre pregnancy, preconception, risk factor and gestational diabetes. Out of 312 retrieved articles, 26 were critically appraised using the STROBE checklist. The maximum and minimum score that each article could obtain was 34 and 0, respectively. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16.   Results: Of 26 articles that were reviewed, the overall agreement rate with STROBE was 78.8%. Of these, 18 articles (69/23%) were rated as moderate and eight articles (30.76%) were graded as good quality. The method and result sections were the weakest parts of the published articles.   Conclusion: The quality of the reported cohort studies investigating preconception risk factors of gestational diabetes is not optimal. It is recommended that chief editors, reviewers, and authors as well as obstetricians and midwives use the STROBE criteria to appraise articles critically, before using their findings in clinical practice.