Objective: To compare the frequency of 27.89±2.34 years in non-obese group. gestational diabetes mellitus in second and third Commonest parity among the obese women was trimester in obese and non-obese women. 3-4 (n=31, 50%) compared to 46.8 % (n=29) in Methodology: It was a prospective study non-obese group. Development of gestational conducted at Department of Obstetrics and diabetes mellitus was 22.58% (n=14) in obese Gynaecology, Bahawal Victoria Hospital group which was significantly higher than 6.45% Bahawalpur. Sixty two obese and 62 non-obese (n=4) in non-obese group (p=0.001). women with singleton pregnancy were included in Conclusion: Gestational diabetes mellitus the study at their booking visit at ~14-20 weeks of developed in significantly higher number of obese gestation. Women having family history of obesity women as compared to non-obese women. (Rawal Med J 2013;38: 165-168). and chronic ailments and those with age >35 or Obesity, gestational diabetes parity >5 were excluded. Key words: mellitus, Body Mass Index, pregnancy. Results: Mean age was 28.12±2.72 years among the group of obese women as compared to INTRODUCTION The studies reporting obesity in GDM lack The association between obesity and insulin information on the effect of achieving targeted resistance in type 2 diabetes is well recognized. levels of glycemic control and treatment modalities 11-13 Approximately 3-15% of women develop on pregnancy outcome. Prevalence of diabetes is 14-17 Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) during high ranging from 7.6-11% in Pakistan. pregnancy. Although many factors are related to this Variations according to age, gender, location and risk, including ethnicity, previous occurrence of urbanization have been noted. Reports from GDM, age, parity, family history of diabetes, and National diabetes survey and National health survey degree of hyperglycemia in pregnancy; obesity is an differ both in observations regarding prevalence of 1-2 independent risk with a risk of about 20%. It has diabetes and relative burden of diabetes in various 15,16 been shown by previous investigators that even provinces and among males and females. minor degrees of carbohydrate intolerance are Incidence of type 1 diabetes was estimated to be 3,4 18 related to obesity and pregnancy outcome. Sebire 1.02/100000 per year in Karachi. Rates of GDM in 5 et al found a twofold increase in the rate of GDM. Pakistan range from 3.2-3.5% which is comparable Kumari comparing obese and non obese patients, to Western populations but the rates of found a rate of GDM of 24.5% for the obese and complications both to mother and fetus were higher, 6 19-21 2.2% for the non obese. Bianco et al reported a possibly due to poor glycemic control. This study 7 threefold increase in GDM for obese patients. A was conducted to compare the frequency of GDM in population-based cohort study of 96,801 singleton obese versus non-obese women. births reported that not only obese women but also overweight women had a markedly increased risk METHODOLOGY 8 This cohort study was conducted at Department of for GDM. In a study of 6,857 women, Yogev et al Obstetrics and Gynaecology Bahawal Victoria found a direct association between glucose- 9, Hospital Bahawalpur, Pakistan from April to screening categories, obesity, and rate of GDM. Original Article 165 Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Obesity: An experience at a teaching hospital in Bahawalpur, Pakistan Nadia Zaman, Nergis Taj, Shafqat Nazir, Ehsan Ullah, Naheed Fatima Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Biochemistry and Pathology, Bahawal Victoria Hospital and Quaid-e-Azam Medical College Bahawalpur, Pakistan Rawal Medical Journal: Vol. 38. No. 2, April-June 2013