Epidemiological study of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus among Women attending the Obstetric Outpatient Clinic at Qena University Hospital

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is characterized by high blood glucose, which typically disappears after childbirth. Although it can happen at any point during pregnancy, it happens more frequently in the second or third trimester. Objectives: To measure the frequency and identify probable risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus among pregnant women at the Qena University Hospital. Patients and methods: The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Qena University Hospital served as the site of our cross-sectional study. Only pregnant women who attended the obstetrics and gynecology department and accepted to share in this study were included. Non-pregnant women or diabetic women before pregnancy were excluded. All patients were subjected to a full history and routine clinical examination. A ''two-step'' method for diabetes mellitus assessment was chosen. A structured questionnaire was conducted among 300 pregnant females targeting the details of the following areas: socio-demographic characteristics, obstetric history, present history, and history. Results: The frequency of GDM among pregnant women was 13.3%. The most contributing factors for GDM were prior GDM, Family history of DM, and GDM, overweight, stillbirth, history of macrosomia, History of PCO, Family history of Hypertension, mother’s age >35 years, and history of repeated abortion. Conclusion: Early detection and diagnosis of GDM in pregnancy are crucial especially in those with risk factors.