One of the risk factor that has been a main consideration for selective screening was family history. Family history of diabetes, as in our study, has a higher correlation with occurrence of diabetes15-16. Family history of diabetes mellitus has shown to have an independent significant association with the risk for macrosomia and caesarean section during pregnancy17. It is very striking that as many as one-third of women with diabetes in our study had no antecedent risk factor but was screened for diabetes following detection of glycosuria in pregnancy. The role of universal screening hence should receive full consideration to reduce missed opportunity and minimise adverse outcome of late diagnosis of diabetes in pregnancy.
According to Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health (CEMACH), 67% of women with DM had a higher incidence of caesarean section, which was mainly iatrogenic as a result of early induction of labour18. A multicentre Italian study on pregnancy outcome in women with diabetes reported the rates of caesarean section and preterm deliveries were higher than in the general population (35.3% and 5.8%)11. This was in agreement with our study that revealed higher rates of caesarean section and preterm deliveries among diabetic women especially those on insulin.Macrosomia is one of the major neonatal complications in women with diabetes. This is explained by Lambert and Germain in their study in which the fetus secretes insulin (also function as a growth factor) in response to hyperglycemic condition that circulates across to the placenta by facilitated diffusion of glucose and hence increases their growth potential to the 95th centile19. Upon delivery, the high level of insulin will expose the newborn to dangers of hypoglycemia. There is increased in incidence of hypoglycemia and respiratory distress syndrome among babies of women with diabetes as compared to babies of healthy women in this study as agreed by Forsbach-Sanchez et al
Macrosomia is often associated with shoulder dystocia. Although there were three cases reported among babies of women with diabetes (birth weight range between 3.3 to 3.8kg) and none in the control group, this was not statistically significant. This incidence may be reduced with vigilance in anticipation for shoulder dystocia and advocating elective caesarean section for babies suspected macrosomia.