About 22 to 25 per cent of women in India stand a chance of being affected with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM), a condition in which women without previously diagnosed diabetes exhibit high blood glucose levels during pregnancy, especially during third trimster.
GDM affects up to 15 per cent pregnant women worldwide and in India an estimated four million women suffer from the condition, Rajesh Chhibber, Communications, Public Health Foundation of India, Delhi, a public-private initiative, told PTI.
There are over 65 million people with diabetes and 77 million with prediabetes in India, of which approximately 45 per cent are women.
GDM is expected to rise to 101.2 millon by 2030, said Rajesh here as part of issuing certifications for the Certificate Course in GDM.
Quoting a recent study, he said, cities across India have a high prevalence of GDM- 17 per cent in Chennai, 15 in Thiruvanthapuram, 12 in Bengaluru and 17. 5 per cent in Ludhiana.
GDM is a severe and neglected threat to maternal and child health, a situation that is likely to worsen, particularly in low and middle income countries like India as diabetes prevalence increases, he said.
