Gestational diabetes mellitus is a common antenatal complication associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. Accurate prediction of GDM will help to implement preventive strategies early during pregnancy. The purpose of this study is to determine whether ultrasonography visceral fat thickness measurement can be performed during early gestation. To assess the correlation between the anthropometric measurement and visceral fat thickness and to define the cutoff value of visceral fat thickness for the development of GDM with optimum diagnostic test accuracy level. Prospective longitudinal study was conducted in antenatal clinic: Teaching Hospital Kandy. Gestational age between 11 to 14 weeks of gestation was included for the study. Multiple gestations, already diagnosed mothers with Diabetes Mellitus and past sections were excluded. Ultrasound Scanning machine, anthropometric measurement scales and interviewer administered data collection sheet were used as study instruments. Sample size was 251 and SPSS version 23.0 was used for data analysis. Visceral fat thickness of the participants positively and significantly correlated with the height (r=141), weight(r=550), BMI(r=533), waist circumference(r=470) and hip circumference(r=558). Most suitable cut off value of visceral fat thickness for predicting GDM among the study participants was 11.75 (Sensitivity: 84.2 Specificity :91.6). According to the other anthropometric parameters, when the subcutaneous fat thickness is more than 12.5cm (sensitivity 89.2 and specificity 39.8), hip circumference is more than 81.5cm (sensitivity 81.1 and specificity94.9), waist circumference is more than 66.5cm (sensitivity 86.5 and specificity 51.5) and BMI is above 21.73 (sensitivity 81.1 and specificity 61.8) GDM can be predicted with above mentioned sensitivities and specificities. Anthropometric measurements which are measured at the early gestational ages can be satisfactorily used for predicting gestational Diabetes Mellitus. But visceral fat thickness is the most suitable measurement for obtaining an accurate prediction..
2023-07-01.
Download PDF