This study aimed to determine the prevalence and trend of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) among women attending Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Accra, Ghana, and to examine its association with selected maternal and neonatal outcomes. A retrospective analysis was performed using routinely collected data on women diagnosed with GDM at KBTH between 2020 and 2024. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages were used to summarise the data. The Chi-square test was used to examine the association between the year of study and categorical variables, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Multivariable logistic regression models were subsequently fitted to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for key maternal outcomes, using 2020 as the reference year. The total number of GDM cases increased steadily from 123 in 2020 to 293 in 2024, with prevalence rising from 1.67 to 5.34% over the study period. Women aged 35–40 years accounted for the highest proportion of cases (39.5%). Significant associations were observed between the year of diagnosis and maternal employment status (p < 0.001), as well as, level of education (p = 0.029). The mode of delivery was also significantly associated with the year of study (p < 0.001), mainly driven by marked increase in caesarean section deliveries in 2021 (97.4%). Multivariable logistic regression analyses demonstrated significantly higher odds of caesarean section deliveries (OR = 13.011) and postpartum haemorrhage (OR = 3.324) in 2021 compared with 2020. In contrast, the odds of achieving adequate antenatal visits (≥ 8) increased significantly in 2024 (OR = 1.593, p = 0.033). These findings demonstrate an upward trend in both the number and prevalence of GDM over the five-year period at KBTH. Although, a rise in antenatal care utilisation was observed, the year 2021 was characterised by a substantial increase in caesarean section and postpartum haemorrhage among women with GDM. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to address the increasing incidence of GDM and investigate the factors influencing year-to-year changes in obstetric outcomes.
Michael et al. (Mon,) studied this question.