Gestational diabetes mellitus among women attending prenatal care at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana

Abstract

Objective: To determine the burden of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) among pregnant women in Accra, Ghana.

Methods: The present cross-sectional study enrolled women at 20-24 weeks of pregnancy attending their first prenatal clinic at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, between March and November 2013. Participants underwent a 2-hour, 75-g oral glucose tolerance test between 24 and 28 weeks. The odds of GDM among different body mass index (BMI, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters) groupings were calculated in a multiple logistic regression model.

Results: Among 399 women screened, 37 (9.3%) had GDM. Compared with women with a BMI in the normal range (18.50-24.99), obese women (BMI >30.0) had an increased risk of GDM (odds ratio [OR] 2.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08-8.20; P=0.034]; overweight women (BMI 25.00-29.99) had a slightly elevated risk (OR 1.20, 95% CI 0.41-3.55; P=0.742). Maternal age, parity, education, employment status, place of residence, and previous pregnancy complications did not affect the risk of GDM.

Conclusion: GDM was found in 10% of pregnant women in Accra. Women who were obese by 20-24 weeks of pregnancy had a significantly increased risk of GDM.

Keywords: Body mass index; Gestational diabetes mellitus; Ghana; Obesity; Oral glucose tolerance test.