FREQUENCY OF GESTATIONAL DIABETES MELLITUS IN PREGNANT WOMEN PRESENTING WITH HYPERLIPIDEMIA DURING THE FIRST TRIMESTER

Abstract

Background: Early pregnancy dyslipidemia can be used to detect women with insulin resistance present in the background who have a high risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Objective: To determine the frequency of GDM in pregnant women with hyperlipidemia in the first trimester and normal lipids. Method: There was a comparative cross-sectional study involving 180 pregnancies of singletons and at 12 weeks or less with a hyperlipidemia group (n=90) and a normal-lipid group (n=90). First trimester fasting lipid was taken and 75g oral glucose tolerance test was carried at 24-28 weeks. Results: The mean age of the mothers was 29.0 ± 4.7 years. Hyperlipidemia (26/90) and normal lipids (12/90) developed GDM in 28.9 and 13.3 per cent, respectively. Hyperlipidemia was associated with higher odds of GDM (OR 2.64, 95% CI 1.24-5.63; p=0.010). Women with GDM had an increased first-trimester triglyceride, total cholesterol, BMI, fasting glucose, and 2-hour glucose. Even after age, BMI, and multiparity adjustment, hyperlipidemia was independently related to GDM. Conclusion: Approximately two-and-a-half-fold higher odds of later GDM was found between first-trimester hyperlipidemia and patients. The timely lipid measurements can aid in determining women at risk of needing closer metabolic monitoring and preventive counselling.