[Diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic features of gestational diabetes at the Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital Center].

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to describe the diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic features of gestational diabetes at the Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital Center.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective descriptive study over a period of 5 years from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2017. It involved 125 pregnant women who had given birth in the Department of Internal Medicine and in the Gyneco-Obstetric Department.

Results: The average age of patients was 30.84±4.17 years. The most common risk factors were overweight and obesity (57.7%), a family history of diabetes (33.3%), a history of spontaneous miscarriage (26.6%), a history of fetal death in utero (15.5%) and a history of gestational diabetes (8.8%). Gestational diabetes screening was performed using fasting blood glucose test and 75g oral glucose-tolerance test. Diagnosis was made in the first quarter in 55.6% of cases, in the second quarter in 33.3% and in the third quarter in 11.1%. Insulin therapy was necessary in 24.4% of cases and a healthy meal-plan alone in 66.6%. Sixty-six point seven percent (66.7%) of women had given birth by cesarean section and 33.3% vaginally. Maternal complications at birth included: arterial hypertension (22.2%), preeclampsia (17.7%) and premature ruptured membranes (2.2%). Newborn complications included macrosomia (48.9%), prematurity (11.1%), hypoglycaemia (11.1%), malformations (4.4%) and stillborn child (4.4%). Eighty-eight point nine percent (88.9%) of newborns had Apgar score greater than 7 and more than 48% were macrosomes.

Conclusion: Gestational diabetes leads to maternofetal complications. Systematic screening is essential even in the absence of risk factors for optimal patient management.