11.69% of pregnant women in West Bengal have gestational diabetes: Study

KOLKATA: Around 11.69 per cent women in West Bengal have gestational diabetes, a condition in which women without previously diagnosed diabetes exhibit high blood glucose levels during pregnancy, according to a recent study.

A study "Gestational Diabetes: How risky are the mothers of rural Bengal", published in the Global Journal of Medicine and Public Health, showed that 11.69 per cent women in West Bengal, especially in rural areas, suffered from gestational diabetes.

Babies born to mothers with untreated gestational diabetes are typically at an increased risk of developing problems such as large size for gestational age (which may lead to delivery complications), low blood sugar and jaundice.

If untreated, it can also cause seizures or still-birth, according to the study.

The incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus along with maternal and foetal outcome during delivery and postnatal period showed alarming results of incidence of GDM among the people under study where the risk to develop Gestational Diabetes was 32.4 per cent in the age group of above 20 years and increased to 41.4 per cent in age group above 30 years, it said.

The study conducted among mothers attending the antenatal clinic of Singur Rural Hospital showed that 39.68 per cent mothers had at least one risk factor, of which 11.69 per cent had gestational diabetes.

Presence of risk factors increased with age from 15.7 per cent in the age group 15-19 years to 32.1 per cent in the age group of above 30 years.

The mean birth weight of neonate was 2.02kg and neonatal death was more common amongst GDM group leading to increased Cesarean section rate, admission to Neonatal ICU among women who had gestational diabetes mellitus during pregnancy.

Dr Debasis Basu, eminent Diabetologist in Kolkata and senior Regional faculty for the Course in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus confirmed the "rapid increase" in the prevalence of the disease.

He called for building capacity in gestational diabetes management as the disease has a major impact on total maternal as well as foetal morbidity.

Dr Sandeep Bhalla, Programme Director CCGDM Course PHFI said, "Gestational diabetes mellitus is a severe and a neglected threat to maternal and child health, a situation that is likely to worsen, particularly in low and middle income countries like India."