"If I Don't Eat Enough, I Won't Be Healthy". Women's Experiences with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Treatment in Rural and Urban South India.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with a range of adverse pregnancy outcomes as well as increased risk of future type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In India, 10%-35% of pregnant women develop GDM. In this study, we investigated women's experiences with the dietary and pharmaceutical treatment for GDM in rural and urban Tamil Nadu, India. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 women diagnosed with GDM. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Three overall aspects were discovered with several sub-aspects characterizing women's experiences: emotional challenges (fear and apprehension for the baby' health and struggling to accept a treatment seen as counterintuitive to being safe and healthy), interpersonal challenges (managing treatment in the near social relations and social support, and coordinating treatment with work and social life), and health system-related challenges (availability and cost of treatment, interaction with health care providers). Some aspects acted as barriers. However, social support and positive, high-quality interactions with health care providers could mitigate some of these barriers and facilitate the treatment process. Greater efforts at awareness creation in the social environment and systemic adjustments in care delivery targeting the individual, family, community and health system levels are needed in order to ensure that women with GDM have the opportunity to access treatment and are enabled and motivated to follow it as well.

Factors influencing timely initiation and completion of gestational diabetes mellitus screening and diagnosis - a qualitative study from Tamil Nadu, India.

BACKGROUND: In 2007, universal screening for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) was introduced in Tamil Nadu, India. To identify factors hindering or facilitating timely initiation and completion of the GDM screening and diagnosis process, our study investigated how pregnant women in rural and urban Tamil Nadu access and navigate different GDM related health services. METHODS: The study was carried out in two settings: an urban private diabetes centre and a rural government primary health centre. Observations of the process of screening and diagnosis at the health centres as well as semi-structured interviews with 30 pregnant women and nine health care providers were conducted. Data was analysed using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the process of GDM screening and diagnosis in the urban and rural settings. Several factors hindering or facilitating timely initiation and completion of the process were identified. Timely attendance required awareness, motivation and opportunity to attend. Women had to attend the health centre at the right time and sometimes at the right gestational age to initiate the test, wait to complete the test and obtain the test report in time to initiate further action. All these steps and requirements were influenced by factors within and outside the health system such as getting right information from health care providers, clinic timings, characteristics of the test, availability of transport, social network and support, and social norms and cultural practices. CONCLUSIONS: Minimising and aligning complex stepwise processes of prenatal care and GDM screening delivery and attention to the factors influencing it are important for further improving and expanding GDM screening and related services, not only in Tamil Nadu but in other similar low and middle income settings. This study stresses the importance of guidelines and diagnostic criteria which are simple and feasible on the ground.

Risk Factors for Hyperglycaemia in Pregnancy in Tamil Nadu, India.

INTRODUCTION: Hyperglycaemia in pregnancy (HIP), i.e. gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and diabetes in pregnancy (DIP), increases the risk of various short- and long-term adverse outcomes. However, much remains to be understood about the role of different risk factors in development of HIP. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this observational study were to examine the role of potential risk factors for HIP, and to investigate whether any single or accumulated risk factor(s) could be used to predict HIP among women attending GDM screening at three centres in urban, semi-urban and rural Tamil Nadu, India. METHODOLOGY: Pregnant women underwent a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test. Data on potential risk factors was collected and analysed using logistical regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, sensitivity, specificity and predictive values were calculated for significant risk factors and a risk factor scoring variable was constructed. RESULTS: HIP was prevalent in 18.9% of the study population (16.3% GDM; 2.6% DIP). Increasing age and BMI as well as having a mother only or both parents with diabetes were significant independent risk factors for HIP. Among women attending the rural health centre a doubling of income corresponded to an 80% increased risk of HIP (OR 1.80, 95%CI 1.10-2.93; p = 0.019), whereas it was not significantly associated with HIP among women attending the other health centres. The performance of the individual risk factors and the constructed scoring variable differed substantially between the three health centres, but none of them were good enough to discriminate between those with and without HIP. CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight the importance of socio-economic circumstances and intergenerational risk transmission in the occurrence of HIP as well as the need for universal screening.

A cohort study of gestational diabetes mellitus and complimentary qualitative research: background, aims and design.

BACKGROUND: Women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and their offsprings are at increased risk of future type 2 diabetes and metabolic abnormalities. Early diagnosis and proper management of GDM, as well as, postpartum follow-up and preventive care is expected to reduce this risk. However, no large scale prospective studies have been done particularly from the developing world on this aspect. The objective of this study is to identify and follow a cohort of pregnant women with and without GDM and their offspring to identify determinants and risk factors for GDM, for various pregnancy outcomes, as well as, for the development of future diabetes and metabolic abnormalities. METHODS: This is a prospective cohort study involving pregnant women attending prenatal clinics from urban, semi-urban and rural areas in the greater Chennai region in South India. Around 9850 pregnant women will be screened for GDM. Socio-economic status, demographic data, obstetric history, delivery and birth outcomes, perinatal and postnatal complications, neonatal morbidity, maternal postpartum and offsprings follow-up data will be collected. Those diagnosed with GDM will initially be advised routine care. Those unable to reach glycaemic control with diet alone will be advised to take insulin. Postpartum screening for glucose abnormalities will be performed at months 3 and 6 and then every year for 10 years. The offsprings will be followed up every year for anthropometric measurements and growth velocity, as well as, plasma glucose, insulin and lipid profile. In addition, qualitative research will be carried out to identify barriers and facilitators for early GDM screening, treatment compliance and postpartum follow-up and testing, as well as, for continued adherence to lifestyle modifications. DISCUSSION: The study will demonstrate whether measures to improve diagnosis and care of GDM mothers followed by preventive postpartum care are possible in the routine care setting. It will also map out the barriers and facilitators for such initiatives and provide new evidence on the determinants and risk factors for both GDM development and occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes and development of future diabetes and metabolic abnormalities in the GDM mother and her offspring.

Gestational diabetes mellitus: insulinic management.

Diabetic pregnancies have attendant risks. Adverse fetal, neonatal, and maternal outcomes in a diabetic pregnancy can be avoided by optimum glycemic control. Most pregnancies with GDM can be managed with non-insulinic management, which includes medical nutrition therapy. However, many necessitate concomitant insulinic management. The new insulin analogs present undoubted advantages in reducing the risk of hypoglycemia, mainly during the night, and in promoting a more physiologic glycemic profile in pregnant women with diabetes. Rapid-acting insulin analogs seem to be safe and efficient in reducing postprandial glucose levels more proficiently than regular human insulin, with less hypoglycemia. The long-acting insulin analogs do not have a pronounced peak effect as NPH insulin, and cause less hypoglycemia, mainly during the night. The review focuses on glycemic goals in pregnancy, insulinic management of GDM, and posology of insulin and its analogs. Clear understanding of the insulinic management of GDM is essential for women's health care providers to provide comprehensive care to women whose pregnancies are complicated with diabetes and rechristen the ''diabetic capital of the world'' to the ''diabetic care capital of the world.''

Strategies for implementing the WHO diagnostic criteria and classification of hyperglycaemia first detected in pregnancy.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently released updated recommendations on Diagnostic Criteria and Classification of Hyperglycaemia First Detected in Pregnancy which are likely to increase the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Any increase in the number of women with GDM has implications for health services since these women will require treatment and regular surveillance during the pregnancy. Some health services throughout the world may have difficulty meeting these demands since country resources for addressing the diabetes burden are finite and resource allocation must be prioritised by balancing the need to improve care of people with diabetes and finding those with undiagnosed diabetes, including GDM. Consequently each health service will need to assess their burden of hyperglycaemia in pregnancy and decide if and how it will implement programmes to test for and treat such women. This paper discusses some considerations and options to assist countries, health services and health professionals in these deliberations.

Premixed insulin aspart 30 (BIAsp 30) versus premixed human insulin 30 (BHI 30) in gestational diabetes mellitus: a randomized open-label controlled study.

A randomized, open-label, parallel study was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of premixed insulin aspart 30 (biphasic insulin aspart [BIAsp] 30) in managing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). A total of 323 women with GDM registered at a single center in India were randomly assigned to receive 6 U of either BIAsp 30 (Group A) or premixed human insulin (biphasic human insulin [BHI] 30; Group B) in a 1:1 ratio. Subjects performed home glucose monitoring and visited their care provider twice a month. The primary outcome was the degree of neonatal macrosomia (neonatal birth weight >90th percentile). Groups A and B were demographically comparable at study entry. Before labor onset, Groups A and B achieved similar degrees of fasting plasma glucose and postprandial plasma glucose control (92.97 ± 14.44 vs. 95.43 ± 18.96 and 127.59 ± 28.99 vs. 126.98 ± 29.89, respectively; both p = NS). Neonatal macrosomia frequency was 6.3% in Group A and 6.9% in Group B; however, this difference was not statistically significant. By last visit, the required insulin dose was significantly lower for Group A than Group B (19.83 ± 15.75 IU vs. 26.34 ± 23.15 IU, respectively; p = 0.006). BIAsp 30 was noninferior to BHI 30, producing comparable fetal outcomes when administered during pregnancy. Based on final doses, BIAsp 30 may offer greater treat-to-target potential for pregnant women.

Comparison of venous plasma glucose and capillary whole blood glucose in the diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus: a community-based study.

BACKGROUND: Universal screening for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is advocated in Indian women as they have the highest frequency of GDM among the South Asian population. For this the diagnostic procedure has to be simple, economical, and evidence based. Hence, this study was undertaken to compare point-of-care measured capillary whole blood glucose (CBG) with a glucometer and laboratory-estimated venous plasma glucose (VPG) and to suggest which is feasible as a diagnostic tool. METHODS: Consecutive pregnant women in the third trimester were included in this study with the approval of the institutional ethical committee. They were given 75 g of oral glucose in the fasting state. After 2 h, CBG was measured by finger prick using an Accu-Chek(®) glucometer (Roche Diagnostics India Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, India), and venous blood was drawn to estimate VPG in the laboratory by the glucose oxidase-peroxidase method. The diagnosis of GDM was based on a 2-h plasma glucose level of ≥7.8 mmol/L (World Health Organization criteria). RESULTS: Among 819 pregnant women, 86 (10.5%) were diagnosed as having GDM. The CBG value at a 2-h plasma glucose level of ≥7.8 mmol/L had a sensitivity of 80.2% and specificity of 98.5% with false-positive and false-negative rates of 1.5% and 19.8%, respectively. The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve of CBG was 0.991. CONCLUSION: The CBG value at a 2-h plasma glucose level of ≥7.8 mmol/L may be recommended for the diagnosis of GDM in healthcare centers where laboratory technology is not available.

Point of care for gestational diabetes mellitus--a community-based study.

Universal screening for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is advocated in Indian women as they have the highest frequency of GDM, among South Asian population. For this the diagnostic procedure has to be simple, economical and evidence based. Hence, this study was undertaken to compare the point-of-care measuring capillary blood glucose (CBG) by glucometer and venous plasma glucose (VPG) estimated in the laboratory and to suggest the feasible diagnostic tool. Consecutive pregnant women in the third trimester were included in this study with the approval of the institutional ethical committee. They were given 75 g oral glucose in the fasting state. After 2 hours, CBG was measured by finger-prick using one touch select simple glucometer and venous blood was drawn to estimate VPG in the laboratory by GOD- POD method. The diagnosis of GDM was based on 2 hours plasma glucose > or = 7.8 mmol/l. Among a cohort of 500 pregnant women, 32 (6.4%) were diagnosed as GDM in their first visit. The CBG value at 2 hours plasma glucose > or = 7.8 mmol/l had a sensitivity of 93.8% and specificity of 97.4% with a false positive and false negative of 2.6% and 6.2%, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of CBG was 0.993. CBG value at 2 hours plasma glucose > or = 7.8 mmol/l may be recommended for the diagnosis of GDM in healthcare centres where laboratory technology is not available.

Pregnancy and diabetes scenario around the world: India.

Women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at an increased risk of developing diabetes in the future, as are their offspring. GDM is not only of clinical relevance, but is also an important public health issue. A community-based prospective study showed that the prevalence of GDM was 13.9%. We also observed that the frequency of GDM varied across urban, semi-urban, and rural areas. Based on multiple logistic regression analysis and taking the 3 areas into consideration, family history of diabetes, age greater than or equal to 25 years, and body mass index greater than or equal to 25 were found to have a significant independent association with GDM (P<0.001).