Pregnancy Outcome Among Women with Diabetes Mellitus in Pregnancy at a Tertiary Health Centre in North-Western Nigeria

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) has a significant public health problem globally and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), has estimated that the number of cases of diabetes mellitus would likely increase to 700 million by the year 2045. It is a common endocrine disorder in pregnancy and complicates upto 10% of pregnancies. Objective: The aim of this study is to review the pregnancy outcome among women with Diabetes Mellitus in pregnancy at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) and to compare the outcomes between pregestational Diabetes mellitus and Gestational diabetes mellitus. Methodology: This was a retrospective study of cases of Diabetes mellitus managed at UDUTH over five years (January, 2017 to December 2021). The list of case notes managed was obtained from Health records department of the institution and the case notes were retrieved. Relevant information was obtained and entered in Statistical package for social sciences version 25. Chi Square test was used to compare pregnancy outcome between pregestetional Diabetes mellitus and Gestational Diabetes mellitus. Level of significance was set at p<0.05. Result: The mean age of the cases was 31.8 ± 5.2, the youngest was 21 years and the eldest was 43 years. The median parity was 3 and highest parity was para 8. For those that carried the pregnancy beyond age of viability, the mean gestational age at delivery was 38 ± 2.2 weeks and the mean birth weight was 3.7 ± 0.8kg. The least birth weight was 1.3kg and the highest birth weight was 6kg. Among the cases, 51.3% had no coexisting hypertensive disorder in pregnancy. The major mode of delivery was by caesarean section (57.8%) and majority (92%) had live babies.The major indication for caesarean section was fetal macrosomia. There was no significant association between the type of Diabetes in pregnancy and pregnancy outcome. Conclusion: Majority of the cases had caesarean section and live babies. The pregnancy outcome between pregestational Diabetes mellitus and Gestational diabetes mellitus were similar. Most of the neonates had no congenital abnormality and majority were not admitted in intensive care baby unit. However, the main fetal complication was fetal macrosomia.