Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes among Pregnant Women Resident in Jalingo, Taraba State, Nigeria using Binary Logistic Regression

This research investigated how common Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is and examined the contributing risk factors among expectant mothers receiving antenatal care at the Federal Medical Centre and Specialist Hospital in Jalingo.250 medical records of pregnant women were reviewed. The prevalence was 18%, with 45 women diagnosed with GDM. Socio-demographic, clinical, and lifestyle characteristics were examined using chi-square analysis and binary logistic regression. The analysis revealed that age, Body Mass Index (BMI), a family history of diabetes, and a previous diagnosis of GDM were significantly linked to the risk of developing GDM. In particular, women between the ages of 26 and 35 had 3.33 times greater odds of developing GDM compared to those aged 18 to 25 (OR = 3.33, p = 0.009). Overweight and obese women had 6.51- and 9.22-times higher odds, respectively. A family history of diabetes was associated with 2.52 times increased odds of developing GDM among women, though this finding did not reach statistical significance (OR = 2.52, p = 0.058). Previous GDM history was the strongest predictor, with women who had a previous GDM diagnosis being 10.09 times more likely to develop GDM in subsequent pregnancies (OR = 10.09, p = 0.001). The findings of this study highlight GDM as a public health concern in Jalingo