Gestational diabetes mellitus and fetal death in Mozambique: an incident case-referent study

BACKGROUND: Third trimester fetal death is a common problem in Mozambique, occurring in approximately 5% of parturient women. OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the magnitude of the gestational diabetes mellitus problem, and to estimate its prevalence in a group of women with unexplained late fetal deaths and in women with live fetuses (referents). METHODS: An incident case-referent study of 109 pregnant Mozambican women with fetal deaths and 110 women delivering liveborns, regarding fasting B-glucose, oral glucose tolerance test and glycosylated hemoglobin. RESULT: The difference in gestational diabetes mellitus prevalence in the two groups is not significant. The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus was high in both groups: 11% and 7%, respectively.