title: Gestational diabetes mellitus and the predisposing factors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the occurrence of gestational diabetes mellitus and its association with demographic and anthropometric variables in pregnant women.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and Memon Hospital in Karachi, from February 2014 to December 2015, and comprised pregnant women who were screened by 75-g 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test, (24-28 weeks of gestation) and classified as per the criteria of the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Group. Weight, body mass index and serum glycated haemoglobin levels were measured. Women with pre-gestational diabetes were excluded. SPSS 21 was used for data analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 1,210 participants, 208(17.2%) had gestational diabetes, while 1,002(82.8%) did not have the condition. Gestational diabetes was associated with advancing age, deranged glycated haemoglobin, elevated body mass index at booking (p<0.001) and history of first-degree type 2 diabetic relatives (p=0.05). When stratified according to ethnicities, no difference was observed in terms of gestational diabetes predilection among those who had the condition (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pre-existing adiposity and presence of strong family history rendered a considerable number of pregnant women to suffer from gestational diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Syeda Sadia
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Fatima
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Rehana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rehman
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Faiza
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alam
authors.affiliation: 3rd Year Medical Student, Medical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Sarosh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Madhani
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Bushra
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chaudhry
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Taseer Ahmed
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin
keywords: Gestational diabetes mellitus, Pregnancy, The International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups, IADPSG, Obesity, Body mass index, BMI. 