The Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Pregnant Women Referred to Amir al-Mu'minin Hospital of Gerash City, Fars Province, Iran

Abstract

Background and Aims: The increasing number of pregnant women being diagnosed as having gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and  lead health care providers to develop reliable screening protocols and know the exact worldwide epidemiology of the disease. This study seeks to obtain data that will help to improve the epidemiologic knowledge about this disease. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 953 pregnant women seeking routine prenatal screening tests. Participants participate with using Carpenter-Coustan criteria in the study. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software. Results and Conclusions: Among 953 pregnant women , 38 participants (4%) were detected to have GDM . Fifty percent of patients in the study were overweight .The data showed a significant difference in the mean age between the diabetic and non-diabetic groups. The high prevalence of GDM in young Iranian pregnant women may emphasize the need for early diagnosis and treatment to avoid adverse outcomes associated with GDM.