RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence rates of impaired glucose tolerance and gestational diabetes among expectant mothers, as well as the prevalence rate of undiagnosed diabetes mellitus in walk-in patients at selected health centres in North Central Trinidad. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study over the period January 2012 to December 2016. SETTING: Primary health care centres. SAMPLE POPULATION: Pregnant women aged 18-45 years who were within their second and third trimester of pregnancy, and for undiagnosed diabetes mellitus the sample population consisted of males and females over the age of 18. METHODOLOGY: Medical records of 90 pregnant women and 174 walk-in patients who received care at the selected health centres during the period January 2012 to December 2016 were examined and the following were recorded: age, ethnicity, parity, gravidity, past medical/surgical history, past obstetric history, oral glucose tolerance test results, random blood glucose results, HbA1c results, and family history of diabetes mellitus (DM). RESULTS: The sample population was 90 expectant mothers and 174 walk-in patients. However, valid results were available for 50 expectant mothers and 78 walk-in patients. Of the 50 valid results for expectant mothers, 1 mother had a confirmed diagnosis recorded for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) yielding a prevalence of 2% for GDM. Age was positively correlated with the diagnosis of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). (P = 0.028). Of the 141 valid entries for walk-in patients, 25 had a confirmed diagnosis of DM yielding a prevalence of ~ 18% for undiagnosed DM. A family history of diabetes was positively correlated with a subsequent diagnosis of DM among previously undiagnosed diabetes. CONCLUSION: The prevalence rate for GDM was found to be 2% and the prevalence rate for undiagnosed DM in walk-in patients was 18%.