FREQUENCY OF GESTATIONAL DIABETES MELLITUS AND THE ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS AMONG WOMEN WITH POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME

Background: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a significant risk factor for developing Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM). The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of GDM and the associated risk factors among women with PCOS. Methods: This cross-sectional study was done at CMH, Dera Ismail Khan from Aug 2023 to Aug 2024. Participants underwent 75 g Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) between 24–28 weeks as part of screening for GDM. Data was analysed on SPSS-24. Shapiro-Wilk test, Mann-Whitney test, Independent t-test, and Chi-square test were applied, and p?0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The study included a total of 296 pregnant women with 148 (50.0%) having PCOS and 148 (50.0%) without PCOS. The frequency of GDM was 45.3% and 27.7% among PCOS and non-PCOS women respectively. There existed a significant variation between the GDM and non-GDM groups with reference to the current menstrual status (p<0.001) and menstrual patterns (p=0.007). The use of metformin was significantly associated with reducing the occurrence of GDM (p=0.002). No statistically significant differences were observed in serum levels of LH (p=0.797), FSH, and free testosterone level between the GDM and non-GDM groups. Conclusion: Women with PCOS are at higher risk of developing GDM. GDM screening should be offered at 24–28 weeks in PCOS women with history of irregular menses. Pak J Physiol 2024;20(3):67–70, DOI: https://doi.org/10.69656/pjp.v20i3.1755