Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Its Associated Risk Factors Among Pregnant Women Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bangladesh
Mohammad Moin Shahid, Khadija Begum, Kaniz Rahman, Kaniz Fatema, Fatema Tuj JohoraABSTRACT
Background
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is an increasingly important public health problem associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. The burden of GDM is rising in South Asia, including Bangladesh, yet data from tertiary care settings remain limited.
Objective
To determine the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus and identify its associated risk factors among pregnant women attending a tertiary care hospital in Bangladesh.
Methods
This hospital‐based analytical cross‐sectional study was conducted from January to June 2025 among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at a tertiary care hospital in Bangladesh. A consecutive sampling technique was used, and 650 eligible pregnant women undergoing oral glucose tolerance testing (OGTT) were enrolled. GDM was diagnosed according to the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG) criteria. Sociodemographic, anthropometric, clinical, and obstetric variables were collected using structured interviews and medical records. Independent‐samples t‐tests, chi‐square tests, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed using SPSS version 23. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Women with GDM were significantly older and had higher obesity prevalence and BMI compared with non‐GDM women. Family history of diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), previous delivery of a baby weighing > 3.5 kg, and history of eclampsia were significantly associated with GDM. Multivariable logistic regression identified increasing maternal age, family history of diabetes, and PCOS as independent predictors of GDM.
Conclusion
GDM is highly prevalent among pregnant women attending tertiary care facilities in Bangladesh. Advanced maternal age, positive family history of diabetes, and PCOS are important independent predictors. Early risk‐based screening and preventive interventions may help reduce maternal and fetal complications associated with GDM.