Sun Dec 14 07:32:48 UTC 2025: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Early Gestational Diabetes on the Rise in India, Study Finds

CHENNAI, INDIA – December 14, 2025 – A new study published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice reveals a concerning trend: early gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is affecting approximately one in five pregnant women in India. The STRiDE study, conducted across seven antenatal clinics in Chennai, Hyderabad, and Puducherry, involved over 3000 women and highlights the increased risk associated with early GDM compared to late GDM.

GDM, defined as glucose intolerance first diagnosed during pregnancy, typically emerges between 24 and 28 weeks. Early GDM, diagnosed before 20 weeks, was found in 21.5% of participants, while late GDM affected 19.5%. The study classified women with a fasting blood sugar between 92-125 mg/dl as having early GDM, and those under 92 mg/dl as having late GDM.

Researchers, including those at the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, identified key risk factors associated with early GDM, including higher early-pregnancy weight, BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, HbA1c, and a more frequent history of GDM and family history of GDM. Late GDM was more strongly linked to a family history of diabetes.

“It is clear that further studies are needed,” stated V. Mohan, author of the paper and chairman of the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation. “We need to evaluate when best to do a test for GDM, what test would be ideal and what treatment methodologies would improve outcomes and reduce side effects even for the foetus. In the West, only women with a family history are screened, but in India where GDM is nearly three to four times what is seen there, we need to be prepared.”

The study also aimed to develop a risk scoring system to predict late GDM in early pregnancy through screenings before 16 weeks using fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and HbA1c levels.

Researchers emphasize the need for wider preparedness and further genomic and genetic studies to understand GDM in detail, given India’s significantly higher GDM burden compared to Western countries.

The STRiDE study was a collaborative effort between research institutions in India, Australia, Kuwait, and Great Britain.

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