Prevalence rates of impaired glucose tolerance and gestational diabetes mellitus amongst expectant mothers and undiagnosed diabetes mellitus in walk-in patients at health centres in North Central Trinidad

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%.