Frequency of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Pregnant Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Aim: The present study aims the determination the frequency of gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnant women using Diabetes in a pregnancy Study group Criteria

Study design: A cross-sectional study

Place and Duration: This study was conducted at BMC Liaquat University of Medical Health Sciences Jamshoro, Pakistan from July 2020 to July 2021.

Methodology: All the pregnant women who had visited the antenatal clinic during the whole duration of the study were checked for diabetes using Diabetes in a pregnancy Study group of criteria after attainment of consent from the patients. The patients were given a dose of 75 grams of glucose mixed in 100ml of water in a non-fasting state. Blood samples of the patients were collected after 2 hours of administration of the glucose.

Result: A total of 12450 participants were considered in the study. The mean age of gestation in the study was 27.46 ± 5.91 weeks. About 18.1% had a family history of diabetes and 22% had a family history of hypertension. Positive family history of GDM was there in only 7% of patients. A total of 1494 (12%) patients were diagnosed with GDM and overt diabetes on the antenatal visit. There was the absence of a known risk in 373 (25%) patients.

Conclusion: The frequency of GDM in pregnant women was 12% irrespective of any known risk factor. Universal screening of GDM should be made mandatory in all pregnant patients, in all trimesters of the pregnancy.