Awareness of gestational diabetes mellitus among antenatal women in a primary health center in South India

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a perfect window of opportunity for the prevention of DM in two generations, and its incidence is increasing in our country. Awareness of the condition among antenatal women will translate into prevention and early diagnosis of the disease. This study was done to determine the awareness of GDM among all the antenatal women who attend a Primary Health Center (PHC) for antenatal care. Materials and Methods: A pretested questionnaire consisting of details on background characteristics, 12 questions focusing on Type 2 DM and GDM, and a question on the source of knowledge was administered to all women attending the antenatal clinic. Their responses were scored and the women were graded as having good, fair, or poor knowledge about GDM. Results: One hundred and twenty antenatal women participated in the study. Mean age of the women was 23.8 years (SD: 2.94). Overall, 17.5% women had good knowledge, 56.7% had fair knowledge, and 25.8% women had poor knowledge about GDM. The major sources of awareness of GDM were reported to be television/radio, neighbors/friends, and family members. Discussion: Only a small proportion of rural antenatal women had good knowledge about GDM. The awareness that untreated GDM may pose a risk to the unborn child was high among the study women. Health care workers have to play a greater role in bringing about awareness about GDM among antenatal women

National health programs in the field of endocrinology and metabolism - Miles to go

The endocrine and metabolic diseases of childhood obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, iodine deficiency disorders, vitamin D deficiency, and osteoporosis are major public health problems. Different programs including National Program for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases, and Stroke address these problems although some are yet to be addressed. National surveys have shown high prevalence of these disorders and their risk factors. Most of the programs aim at awareness raising, lifestyle modification, (primary prevention) and screening (secondary prevention) for the disease conditions as these are proven to be cost-effective compared to late diagnosis and treatment of various complications. Urgent concerted full scale implementation of these programs with good coordination under the umbrella of National Rural Health Mission is the need of the moment. The referral system needs strengthening as are the secondary and tertiary levels of health care. Due attention is to be given for implementation of these programs in the urban areas, as the prevalence of these conditions is almost equal or even higher among urban poor people where primary and secondary prevention measures are scarcely available and treatment costs are sky-high

Generation of South Indian Data for Normal Clitoral Dimensions and Anogenital Ratio in Term Neonates

Introduction: Assessment of genitalia is an important part of the neonatal examination. Regional, racial, and ethnic variations in phallic length have been documented. Clitoral dimensions may also show similar variations. Normal values for neonatal clitoral measurements may help the pediatrician/neonatologist to accurately diagnose clitoromegaly and underlying etiology to guide appropriate investigations. Data on clitoral measurements is limited with only one study from India (Kolkata). Hence we aimed in this study to generate south Indian data on neonatal clitoral dimensions, anogenital distance, and anogenital ratio. Two hundred and fifty two hemodynamically stable term female neonates without ambiguous genitalia/vulval masses born in a community hospital. Hospital-based cross-sectional study. 1. To measure clitoral dimensions, anogenital distance, and anogenital ratio in female neonates. 2. To correlate clitoral dimensions, anogenital distance, and ratio with anthropometric measurements, gestational age, and maternal comorbidities. Methods: Measurements were recorded using a digital vernier caliper, under strict aseptic precautions with labia majora gently separated and the baby held in a frog-leg position. Clitoral length, width, and anogenital distance were measured and anogenital ratio and clitoral index were calculated. Results: In term neonates, the mean ± SD of clitoral length (CL), clitoral width (CW), anogenital ratio (AGR) were 6.34 ± 1.75 mm, 6.39 ± 1.27 mm and 0.39 ± 0.05, respectively. The 3rd and 97th centiles for mean clitoral length were 3.55 and 9.93 mm, for mean clitoral width were 3.37 and 8.35 mm, and for AGR were 0.28 and 0.48, respectively. These clitoral dimensions in south Indian neonates were higher than those from East India (Kolkata), lower than Nigerian babies, and similar to Israeli neonates. Mean CL and CW had no statistical correlation with birth weight, gestational age, head circumference, or length in term neonates. A significant correlation was noted between pregnancy-induced hypertension and mean clitoral width, and between gestational diabetes and AGR. Conclusion: Normative values for clitoral dimensions (length and width) and AGR for south Indian term female neonates have been established. 97th centiles of 9.93 mm (CL) and 8.35 mm (CW) and 0.48 mm (AGR) may be used as practical cut-offs to diagnose clitoromegaly and virilization. Clitoral measurements had no statistical correlation with birth weight, gestational age, or anthropometry. Clitoral measurements exhibit ethnic and racial differences, thus emphasizing the importance of regional cut-offs and need for more studies from different parts of India on CL

Calcium and bone disorders in pregnancy

Significant transplacental calcium transfer occurs during pregnancy, especially during the last trimester, to meet the demands of the rapidly mineralizing fetal skeleton. Similarly, there is an obligate loss of calcium in the breast milk during lactation. Both these result in considerable stress on the bone mineral homeostasis in the mother. The maternal adaptive mechanisms to conserve calcium are different in pregnancy and lactation. During pregnancy, increased intestinal absorption of calcium from the gut mainly due to higher generation of calcitriol (1,25 dihydroxy vitamin D) helps in maintaining maternal calcium levels. On the other hand, during lactation, the main compensatory mechanism is skeletal resorption due to increased generation of parathormone related peptide (PTHrP) from the breast. Previous studies suggest that in spite of considerable changes in bone mineral metabolism during pregnancy, parity and lactation are not significantly associated with future risk for osteoporosis. However, in India, the situation may not be the same as a significant proportion of pregnancies occur in the early twenties when peak bone mass is not yet achieved. Further, malnutrition, anemia and vitamin D deficiency are commonly encountered in this age group. This may have an impact on future bone health of the mother. It may also probably provide an opportunity for health care providers for prevention. Other metabolic bone diseases like hypoparathyroidism, hyperparathyroidism and pseudohypoparathyroidism are rarely encountered in pregnancy. Their clinical implications and management are also discussed

A systematic review on normative values of trimester-specific thyroid function tests in Indian women

Background: Small cross-sectional studies are published on the trimester-specific normal ranges of thyrotropin and thyroxine levels in Indian women from various parts of the country. Objective: We sought to review the published literature on thyroid function tests in normal pregnant Indian women to see if the pooled data from various studies can define normative data and hypothyroidism in pregnancy. Methods: We retrieved 56 studies from online databases with detailed search using multiple search terms. Unanimously eight studies were finalized. Results: Data of 2703 pregnant women (age 16–45 years; 966 were in the first trimester, 1072 in their second trimester, and 1037 women in their third trimester) were analyzed. All eight studies included singleton pregnancies from the northern and eastern part of India with seven studies being cross-sectional in nature. The exclusion criteria in all studies included those with historical/clinical evidence of thyroid dysfunction, those with family history of thyroid dysfunction, infertility and those with history of recurrent miscarriages (usually >3). Ultrasound evidence of thyroid disease, urinary iodine assessment, and thyroid antibodies were included as additional exclusion criteria in two, three, and four studies, respectively. None of the studies included the outcome of pregnancy as part of follow-up. As part of the pooled data analysis, the 5th–95th centile values of normal TSH extended from 0.09 to 6.65 IU/mL in the first trimester, 0.39–6.61 IU/mL in the second trimester, and 0.70–5.18 IU/mL in the third trimester. The FT4 levels (5th–95th centile values) extended from 8.24 to 25.74 pmol/L in the first trimester, 6.82–26.0 pmol/L, and 5.18–25.61 pmol/L in the third trimester. Conclusions: With due limitations imposed by the quality of the available studies, the current review suggests that upper normal limit of TSH values can extend up to 5–6 IU/mL in pregnancy

Socio-cultural dimensions of congenital adrenal hyperplasia: An ethnographic study from Chennai, South India

Aim: This study aims to provide a medical anthropological perspective on how congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is perceived and constructed by parents and doctors in India. It aims to put forth the complexities that are associated with CAH and the various experiences that parents and doctors share as a result, while also exploring the influences that culture and medicine have on each other. Methods: An ethnographic approach was taken to understand CAH in this study, in which families and doctors of children with CAH were interviewed. Fieldwork was done for 2 months in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Results: A major finding of this study was the faith that parents had on biomedicine in general and doctors in particular. While parents continued to follow the instructions provided by the doctors, they also exercised their agency by questioning the decisions taken by the doctors. The research also revealed that there is constant worry and fear in parents about the future of their children due to the stigma attached to CAH. Conclusion: A constant discourse between medicine and culture can be noticed while analyzing the complexities associated with CAH. The study tries to show that medical decisions that doctors take in matters concerning CAH are culturally driven. Surgical corrections done in order to categorize the child into one of the two sexes is an example for the same. Similarly, various structures of family, marriage, and kinship have been medicalized owing to the strong influence medicine and culture have on each other

Prevalence of Anaemia in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes: A Crosssectional Study from a Tertiary Care Centre, Chennai, India

Introduction: Anaemia is frequently observed in diabetes, affecting the quality of life and also contributing to the pathogenesis of microvascular complications. However, according to the literature, there have been no previous studies on the prevalence of Anaemia in Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) without Diabetic Kidney Disease (DKD) in the south Indian population. Aim: To estimate the prevalence of anaemia in T2D and study its association with glycaemic control and diabetes-related microvascular complications. Materials and Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional study that included 100 patients with T2D visiting the Department of Endocrinology at Sri Ramachandra Hospital, Chennai between June and September 2019. After obtaining informed consent, samples for complete blood count, Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG), Glycosylated Haemoglobin (HbA1c), renal function tests, lipid profile, and urine microalbumin were collected from participants. Gestational diabetes, Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), and DKD on erythropoietin were excluded from this study. The test of Proportions was performed using the Chi-square test. Results: The mean age of the study population was 57.91±9.50 years. The overall prevalence of anaemia in the present study was 60%, and it was higher among women (p=0.023). Anaemia was also observed to be more common in those with poor glycaemic control (p=0.340) and in cases where at least one microvascular complication had occurred (p=0.796). Conclusion: Anaemia was observed in almost two-thirds of patients with T2D in this study. The prevalence of anaemia was higher in individuals with poor glycaemic control and diabetes-related microvascular complications