ASSOCIATION OF MATERNAL OBESITY, AGE, AND HEREDITY WITH GESTATIONAL DIABETES: EVIDENCE FROM A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
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Keywords
Body Mass Index; Pregnancy, Parity; Heredity; Risk Assessment; Antenatal Screening
Abstract
Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a growing public health concern in India, driven by rising rates of obesity, sedentary lifestyles, and genetic predisposition. Early detection of clinical risk factors is essential to mitigate adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Despite extensive data on GDM prevalence, there is limited literature on the clinical profiling of affected women in tertiary care settings in northern India.
OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical and demographic profile of women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) at a tertiary care hospital in northern India, with particular emphasis on risk factors such as age, body mass index (BMI), parity, and family history of diabetes.
METHODS: This descriptive, observational, retrospective, and cross-sectional study was conducted at Varun Arjun Medical College and Rohilkhand Hospital from January 2024 to December 2024. A total of 150 antenatal women diagnosed with GDM were included. Data regarding age, height, weight, BMI, pregnancy number, and family history of diabetes were extracted from hospital records and analyzed using descriptive statistics. BMI categories were defined using Asian-specific cutoffs. GDM diagnosis was based on institutional criteria following a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test.
RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 34.73 ± 6.44 years, and the mean BMI was 33.45 ± 4.62 kg/m². Most women were obese (121, 80.67%) with least in Normal category (2, 1.33%). Among women in their first three pregnancies (n=95), the majority (42.11%) were in their third pregnancy. A positive family history of diabetes was reported in 66.0% of the participants. All women included were confirmed cases of GDM.
CONCLUSIONS: Maternal age above 30 years, obesity, and a positive family history of diabetes emerged as dominant clinical features in women with GDM. These findings support the integration of early risk-based screening and lifestyle interventions into routine antenatal care in similar settings.
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Dr. Pawan Preet Kaur
Assistant Professor, Department of Gynaecology & Obstetrics, Varun Arjun Medical College & Rohilkhand Hospital, Shahjahanpur, India.
Dr Navreet Kaur
Assistant Professor, Department of General Medicine, Varun Arjun Medical College & Rohilkhand Hospital, Shahjahanpur, India.