Prevalence of hyperglycemia, associated risk factors, and knowledge of gestational diabetes mellitus among pregnant women attending antenatal care at two health facilities in Buea South-West Region of Cameroon

Hyperglycemia during the period of pregnancy is a risk that often leads to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). About 4 to 14% of all pregnancies are anticipated to have GDM which may lead to a long-term consequence such as Type 2 diabetes in mothers as well as their children. Awareness and knowledge of GDM among pregnant women are important clues through adherence to preventive and management practices, mainly in resource-limited settings. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of hyperglycemia among pregnant women and their knowledge of GDM in the Buea Health District (BHD). This hospital-based cross-sectional study used a convenient sampling technique to recruit 250 participants from February to May 2024 in the BHD. Fasting blood glucose was measured using a Sinocare glucometer and the International Association of Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG) criteria of “FBG” ≥ 5.1 mmol/l. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 26 and the p-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. The participants’ mean age was 29 years (SD ± 5.3). The Prevalence (n=37) of hyperglycemia in pregnancy (HIP) was 14.8% (95%CI: 10.6, 19.8). HIP was less likely to be found amongst pregnant women without a family history of diabetes (aOR: 0.72; 95% CI: 0.66, 0.774), family history of hypertension (aOR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.63, 0.74), while it was more likely to be found among those with increase body mass index (aOR: 3.1, 95% CI: 1.6, 6.02). The knowledge score analysis revealed 79(32%; 95% CI 0.259, 0.378) of the respondents to have good knowledge of GDM. This study reports a high prevalence of hyperglycemia among pregnant women attending the Buea Regional Hospital, with a family history of diabetes and hypertension as well as increased body mass index (BMI) as associated factors. Further, their poor knowledge of GDM highlights the need for strengthening educational strategies to enhance gestational diabetes management and prevention. Key words: Prevalence, hyperglycemia, knowledge, gestational diabetes.