Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Its Associated Risk Factors in Boo-Ali Hospital, Tehran

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) represents the most common metabolic complication during pregnancy. GDM is associated with maternal and fetal complications. Ap- proximately 7% of all pregnancies are affected by GDM, resulting in more than 200,000 cases worldwide annually, and the prevalence may vary from 1% to 14% among all pregnancies. Accordingly, this study attempted to determine the prevalence and some risk factors of GDM.

This hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out at Boo- Ali hospital in Tehran, the capital of Iran. Four hundred non-diabetics pregnant women with a gestational age of 24-28 weeks who attended the Boo-Ali hospital outpatient department were included in our study. Demographic and anthropometric data including age, gravida, para, ges- tational age, family history of diabetes, history of GDM, weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) were collected. Blood samples were collected from the women at 24-28 weeks to diag- nose GDM by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). We measured the 25-OH-D level in partici- pants at 24-28 weeks.

Among the 400 pregnant women, 46 (11.5%) had GDM based on OGTT, and the mean age of GDM women were 30.78± 5.96 years. Among selected variables, BMI ≥25kg/m2, family history, and GDM history were associated with increased risks of GDM (odds ratio=2.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.22–5.07;3.52, 95% CI 1.84–6.70; 19.57, and 95% CI 6.16–62.17, respectively). The association was more robust in the positive GDM his- tory of women.

High prevalence of GDM highlights more attention of health-care givers in screening pregnant women with risk factors. BMI as a modifiable risk factor for GDM needs more attention, and positive family history and previous GDM history should be consid- ered in the core activities of pregnant women.