Usha Thachappilly1 , Vijayalakshmy R. S.2 , Sreedevi N. S.3 , Vijayalakshmy Moorkkattukara Thekkoot4 , Shajee Sivasankaran Nair5 , Sajith Vilambil6 , Sajeevan Kundila Chandran7
BACKGROUND Effective diagnosis and treatment of DM can reduce hyperglycemia related adverse pregnancy outcomes. We wanted to analyse glucose levels in normal pregnancy and pregnancy complicated by GDM. METHODS This is a case-control study conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Institute of Maternal and Child Health, Medical College, Calicut. A total of 200 subjects was divided into two groups comprising 150 controls (healthy pregnant women with no history of GDM) and 50 cases (pregnant women with GDM). All statistical data were analysed using SPSS software version 16. Continuous variables were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Qualitative data was expressed as percentage. Independent t test was used for comparing quantitative data between two groups. RESULTS The mean age of normal pregnant study subjects was 23.76 years. The mean duration from last delivery was 1.37 years among normal pregnant mothers. Among the normal pregnant group, majority had no history of abortion. Mean Systolic Blood Pressure (BP) of normal pregnant category was 113.17 mmHg. Mean diastolic BP was 73.13 mmHg. The mean height and weight in normal pregnant group was 1.56 m and 57.33 Kg respectively. The average BMI was 23.42 among normal pregnant mothers. The mean age of GDM study subjects was 26.24 years. The mean duration from last delivery was 1.74 years among GDM mothers. In the GDM group, majority had no history of abortion. Mean systolic BP of GDM category was 122.04 mmHg. Mean diastolic BP was 79.76 mmHg and ranged between 70 - 100 mmHg. The mean value of blood glucose in women with GDM was 147.86 mg/dL and that in normal pregnant women was 103.59 mg/dL. The result was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS Glucose tolerance is significantly reduced in GDM. Screening for GDM and adequate control measures help in detecting women with even minimal abnormality of glucose metabolism which may otherwise be undetected and progress to diabetes.
