Gestational Diabetes in Cameroon: A Silent Threat to Mother and Baby

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash 

Gestational diabetes (GD) is a rise in blood sugar levels that appears for the first time during pregnancy. This condition is often silent, but its consequences can be significant for both mother and child. Long underestimated in Sub-Saharan Africa, this public health issue is now receiving increasing attention from researchers.

A Frontiers in Nutrition study conducted among 983 pregnant women in Cameroon revealed that the prevalence of gestational diabetes ranges from 5.9% to 17.7%, depending on the diagnostic criteria used. These findings suggest that thousands of women may be affected each year.

Possible complications include high blood pressure, preeclampsia, difficult deliveries, and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes after pregnancy. For the baby, excessive birth weight and neonatal complications may occur.

A history of stillbirth was identified as one of the main risk factors. Women with such a history should receive closer monitoring during pregnancy.

In practical terms, health policies aimed at preventing gestational diabetes should prioritise universal screening between the 24th and 28th weeks of pregnancy. In addition, training healthcare personnel, improving access to blood glucose testing, and adopting appropriate national guidelines could significantly improve maternal and child health.