Prevalence and determinants of gestational Diabetes mellitus in pregnant women: A study from Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan

Review article | https://doi.org/10.47262/BL/11.1.20300121

Farwa Yousaf 1, Khawar Ali Shahzad 1,2*, Muhammad Faizan Munawer 1, Salma Jabeen 3, Muhammad Zeshan Haider 1

1Department of Zoology, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan

2Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, and School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China

3Department of Gynaecology, Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur, Pakistan

Abstract

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a prevalent health issue during pregnancy that is associated with various risk factors. This study aimed to investigate the spectrum of blood sugar levels in clinically positive screened pregnant women and explore the associations between GDM and factors such as blood group type, birth weight, family history of diabetes, hemoglobin levels, large gestational age, maternal age, trimester-specific prevalence, abortion rates, and obesity. The results revealed that pregnant women with blood group B+ exhibited the highest rate of GDM, followed by blood groups O+ and AB+. Furthermore, higher birth weights (>3.5 kg) and a family history of diabetes were identified as significant risk factors for GDM. Elevated hemoglobin levels (>13 g/dL) and large gestational age were also associated with an increased likelihood of developing GDM. Moreover, pregnant women over the age of 25 and those in the third trimester had a higher prevalence of GDM. The study also observed a higher rate of abortion in diabetic pregnant women compared to non-diabetic pregnant women. Additionally, obesity was found to be a significant risk factor for GDM, with a higher prevalence observed in obese pregnant women. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the multifactorial nature of GDM and have implications for the prevention, diagnosis, and management of GDM during pregnancy.