Prevalence and Complications of Pregestational and Gestational Diabetes in Saudi Women: Analysis from Riyadh Mother and Baby Cohort Study (RAHMA)‎

Abstract EN

The objectives of this study were to estimate the burden of diabetes and to explore the adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with pregestational diabetes mellitus (pre-GDM) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) among the Saudi pregnant population.

In this subcohort, we compared the maternal and the neonatal outcomes of diabetic women with pre-GDM and GDM to the outcomes of nondiabetic mothers who delivered during the same period.

From the total cohort, 9723 women participated in this study.

Of the participants, 24.2% had GDM, 4.3% had pre-GDM, and 6951 were nondiabetic.

After adjustment for confounders, women with GDM had increased odds of delivering a macrosomic baby (OR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.2–2.1).

Women with pre-GDM were more likely to deliver by Cesarean section (OR: 1.65; CI: 1.32–2.07) and to have preterm delivery < 37 weeks (OR: 2.1; CI: 1.5–2.8).

Neonates of mothers with pre-GDM were at increased risk of being stillbirth (OR: 3.66; CI: 1.98–6.72), at increased risk of admission to NICU (OR: 2.21; CI: 1.5–3.27), and at increased risk for being macrosomic (OR: 2.40; CI: 1.50–3.8).

The prevalence of GDM and pre-GDM in the Saudi pregnant population is among the highest in the world.

The conditions are associated with high maternal and neonatal morbidities and mortalities.