Poster Presentation Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society Annual Scientific Meeting 2019

Investigating The Link Between Depression and Gestational Diabetes In Rural Australia (#61)

Ajuma Ogiji 1 2 3 4 5 , Theresa Larkin 1 4
  1. University of Wollongong Human Research Ethics Committee, Wollongong
  2. University Centre for Rural Health, NSW, Australia, NSW
  3. University Centre for Rural Health, NSW, Australia, NSW
  4. University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia, Wollongong
  5. Gold Coast university hospital, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia

Risk factors for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) such as high BMI and increasing age are well recognized. There is however a paucity of research investigating the link between pre and perinatal depression, and development of GDM and associations between GDM, and developing postnatal depression. These areas of knowledge are poorly understood particularly in rural Australia.

This study investigated whether GDM had links with lifetime history of development of depression in rural Australia. Confirmation of well- known trends in terms of risk factors for acquiring GDM, such as high BMI and increasing age; were also assessed.

Clinical audits of pregnant patients 18 and older in a rural GP were undertaken. A retrospective analysis was completed on depression and GDM diagnosis. Data was assessed using unpaired T-tests, Chi Squared testing and Pearson’s correlations.

High BMI increased risk of developing GDM, with BMI average at 40.3 ± 8.77 compared to those undiagnosed with GDM at 26.3 ± 6.72 (p=0.001). There was an increase in those with depression developing GDM as 54.4% of women that were diagnosed with GDM had coexisting perinatal depression or previous depression compared to only 17.8% of those who suffered from perinatal depression or previous depression that did not have GDM (p <0.0001). BMI was significantly correlated with plasma glucose at 1 hour and 2 hours post-prandial (p<0.0001), but not with baseline fasting glucose levels and BMI was positively correlated with age.

This preliminary study suggests that diagnosis of depression before and during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of developing GDM in rural Australia. However, GDM diagnosis does not seem to increase the risk of development of post-natal depression (PND). From the results of this study, one can propose the potential benefit of a risk rubric in terms of GDM and depression assessments and quantitative antenatal depression screening in the future.

Learning Objectives

Learning Objective 1
Gain a deeper understanding between the correlation between prenatal depression and development of GDM as well as the pathophysiological processes linking GDM and depression.

Learning Objective 2
Increase awareness and influencing clinical management of patients with a background of prenatal depression presenting for antenatal checks in both General Practice and Hospital settings

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