MATERNAL-FETAL MEDICINE Prevalence and associated risk factors for gestational diabetes in Jos, North-central, Nigeria Ajen Stephen Anzaku • Jonah Musa Received: 23 January 2012 / Accepted: 20 November 2012 / Published online: 6 December 2012 Ó Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2012 Abstract Objective The study aimed at determining the prevalence and associated risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) among antenatal women attending the Jos Uni- versity Teaching Hospital (JUTH), Jos, Nigeria. Methods A cross-sectional study was done between February and April 2009 among 265 pregnant women enrolled from the antenatal clinic of JUTH. Screening was done between 24 and 28 weeks’ gestation with a 50 g, 1-h glucose challenge test (GCT). Those with plasma glucose concentration [ 7.8 mmol/l were then given 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) to confirm the diagnosis of GDM. Plasma glucose measurements were performed with glucose oxidase method. GDM was diagnosed according to the WHO criteria. All relevant data including demographic information, obstetric history, and risk factors for GDM, GCT and OGTT results were collected and analyzed using Epi Info version 3.5.1, CDC, Atlanta, USA. Results Of the 265 pregnant women enrolled, 253 sub- jects were eligible for screening out of which, 28 (11.1 %) had positive GCT [ 7.8 mmol/l. The prevalence of GDM was 8.3 % (21/253); 95 % CI 5.2–12.4. The pattern of glucose tolerance in the study population indicated that 232 (91.7 %) had normal glucose tolerance, 6.7 % had impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) while 1.6 % had overt diabetes. Previous history of fetal macrosomia was inde- pendently associated with GDM (adjusted OR 11.1; 95 % CI 2.93–42.12, P = 0.0004). Conclusion The prevalence of GDM was relatively high among our antenatal population. Women with previous history of fetal macrosomia have a higher likelihood of having GDM and should be screened. Keywords Gestational diabetes mellitus Á OGTT Á Fetal macrosomia Introduction Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as any degree of glucose intolerance with onset or first recognition during pregnancy [1, 2]. This does not exclude glucose intolerance that may have antedated pregnancy and regardless of whether glucose intolerance returns to normal after delivery. GDM is associated with increased maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality and the degree of these adverse outcomes comparable to those of pre-gestational diabetes mellitus [3, 4]. Depending on the type of population and the diagnostic criteria used, GDM complicates about 4 % of all pregnancies worldwide with a prevalence range of 1–14 % [5, 6]. Researchers in American, European and Asian settings have reported a prevalence of 1–9 % [7–9]. However, prevalence value as high as 11.6 % has been reported from Lagos, Nigeria [10]. GDM usually occurs between 24 and 28 weeks of ges- tation as a result of increased insulin resistance in the second trimester [1, 2, 6]. The glucose levels rise in women who are unable to produce enough insulin to adapt to the increased insulin resistance [11]. A. S. Anzaku (&) Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Health Sciences, Bingham University, Jos Campus/Bingham University Teaching Hospital, PMB, Jos 2238, Plateau State, Nigeria e-mail: steveanzaku@gmail.com J. Musa Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Nigeria 123 Arch Gynecol Obstet (2013) 287:859–863 DOI 10.1007/s00404-012-2649-z