Vol. 6, Issue 1, Part A (2024)

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common medical disorder worldwide detected during pregnancy with the adverse consequences on the health of mother and fetus. Poor control of diabetes during pregnancy increases the chances for birth defects and other problems for the pregnancy. 
Objectives: This study was carried out to evaluate the association of serum ferritin level with gestational diabetes mellitus.
Methodology: It was a case control study carried out in the Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, BIRDEM general hospital, Dhaka on 120pregnant women who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria and then informed consent was obtained. They were divided into 2 groups: case (n=60) included pregnant women with GDM and control (n=60) include pregnant women without GDM. Data was collected by history taking, examinations and required investigations and recorded in a predesigned data collection instrument. and assured that the information and records would be kept confidential. Data were processed and analyzed using computer software SPSS version 21.
Result: Comparison between pregnant women with GDM (case) group and pregnant women without GDM (control) group: Age (29.50±3.71years vs,27.57±4.66years) was slightly higher in cases which was statistically significant (p=0.013). Multigravid woman among cases was higher (68.3%) than controls (50.0%). Majority both in case (98.3%) and control (85.0%) groups had BMI ≥30.Mean serum ferritin level (Case vs control: 90.26±65.94 vs 45.35±27.80) was higher in case compared to that in control group. Mean serum ferritin in 2nd trimester was higher in case (103.34±74.67) than control group (50.58±29.83). In 3rd trimester mean serum ferritin is also higher in cases (80.25±57.55) compared to that in control group (37.50±22.84). All these findings were statistically highly significant (p≤0.05).Though the finding was not statistically significant, a positive correlation was evident between serum ferritin level and blood glucose level both fasting and 2 hours after 75 gm glucose ingestion Majority (65.0%) of the respondents among case had serum ferritin ≥45 ng/ml compared to that in respondents without GDM group (40.0%). Risk of developing GDM was significantly 2.7 times higher among the respondents whose serum ferritin ≥45 ng/ml (p=0.01; OR=2.7,95% CI =1.3-5.8).
Conclusion: Findings of this study suggested that serum ferritin level was higher in gestational diabetes mellitus patients than healthy controls. Higher serum ferritin may be regarded a possible risk factor for the development of gestational diabetes mellitus.