Gestational diabetes mellitus is rare in primigravida Pakistani women

• Published in: Indian journal of endocrinology and metabolism Vol. 15; no. 3; pp. 191 - 193
• Main Authors: Jawa, Ali, Raza, Farhan, Qamar, Khola, Jawad, Ali, Akram, Javed
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd 01.07.2011; Medknow Publications; Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
• Subjects: Care and treatment; Dextrose; Diabetes in pregnancy; Diagnosis; Gestational diabetes mellitus; Glucose; hyperglycemia; International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups; Original; Physiological aspects; Pregnancy; The Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome study; India; International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups; Gestational diabetes mellitus; hyperglycemia; The Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome study
• ISSN: 2230-8210; 2230-9500; 2230-9500
• DOI: 10.4103/2230-8210.83404

Gestational diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder defined as glucose intolerance with onset or first recognition during pregnancy. Similar to other members of the Asian race, Pakistani women are also considered to be at a high risk for developing gestational diabetes. In order to better understand whether this heightened risk attributed to race really exists, we conducted a prospective study to assess the glycemic status of primigravida women presenting to our hospital. The mean age of 135 subjects enrolled was 22 (16-31), with 21 (16%), 60 (44%), and 54 (40%) subjects in the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy, respectively. The mean fasting, 1-hour, and 2-hour plasma glucose levels were 69.9 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L), 129 mg/dL (7.2 mmol/L), and 103.6 mg/dL (5.76 mmol/L), respectively. Of 135 women, 6 had a blood pressure reading ≥140/90 mm Hg and only one met the criteria for gestational diabetes mellitus. In our study, despite using the newly proposed International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study (IADPS) cut-offs for diagnosis of gestational diabetes, the incidence rate of gestational diabetes mellitus in primigravida was still <1%. Larger trials are needed to truly assess the disease burden of gestational diabetes mellitus in Pakistani women.