ROLE OF PROBIOTICS-BASED SUPPLEMENTS IN THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF GESTATIONAL DIABETES MELLITUS

Abstract

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common pregnancy-related metabolic disorder, and the effectiveness of probiotic supplementation in preventing GDM and improving glycaemic control in the Pakistani population remains unclear. Objective: To determine the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in at-risk pregnant women taking probiotic-based supplements versus controls, as well as to assess the impact of probiotics on glycaemic control, in relation to the mean change in fasting blood sugar (FBS) in women with GDM. Methods: A non-randomised controlled trial was conducted at the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics at IIMCT Railway Hospital, Rawalpindi from January 2026 to May 2026. One hundred pregnant women with at least one GDM risk factor, aged 18–40 years and with a gestational age of not more than 20 weeks, were recruited. Group A (n=50) underwent standardised probiotic supplementation and routine antenatal care; Group B (n=50) underwent routine antenatal care alone. FBS was measured at baseline, at 24–28 weeks, and four weeks after GDM diagnosis in GDM-positive women. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 23. Results: Participants averaged 26.36±4.21 years in Group A and 28.36±4.06 years in Group B. GDM was confirmed in 7 (14%) women in Group A versus 17 (34%) in Group B (χ²=5.48, p=0.019). Among GDM-positive patients, mean FBS declined from 107.4 to 97.5 mg/dL in Group A (p=0.003), compared with a lesser reduction from 107.5 to 103.2 mg/dL in Group B (p=0.026). Conclusion: Daily probiotic supplementation was associated with a markedly lower GDM frequency and a greater reduction in fasting blood glucose among women who nonetheless developed GDM.