The Frequency of Impaired Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) in Pregnant Women Aged Under 35 Years
1Dr Aiman Aftab, 2Prof. Dr Farukh Naheed, 3Dr Nazish Ali, 4Dr Rafay Ahmed Siddiqui, 5Dr Zarqoon Fatima, 6Dr Shumaila Idrees
1PGR Trainee FCPS Fatima Hospital, Baqai Medical University
2Professor, Head of the department Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fatima Hospital, Baqai Medical University
3Associate Professor Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fatima Hospital, Baqai Medical University
4Assistant Professor, Head of the department Forensic Medicine, Baqai Medical University
5PGR Trainee FCPS Fatima Hospital, Baqai Medical University
6PGR Trainee FCPS Fatima Hospital, Baqai Medical University
Vol: 14/02
Received: January 25, 2026 Accepted: March 02, 2026 Published: April 10, 2026
ABSTRACT
Background: Prenatal impaired glucose tolerance has become a serious issue in the context of the maternal and neonatal complications it contributes. Although one of the traditional risk factors is maternal age, newly developed evidence indicates that younger pregnant women especially among South Asians are also capable of demonstrating significant metabolic vulnerability. The data on glucose intolerance among this age group on the local level is needed to inform the screening measures in the high-risk areas like Pakistan.
Purpose: To establish the prevalence of impaired oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results in pregnant women who are below the age of 35 years having regular antenatal care.
Methods: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study that took place in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Baqai Medical University, between August 2025 and Dec 2025. The non-probability consecutive sampling was used to enroll 1150 pregnant women aged below 35 years and had singleton pregnancy with a gestational age of 24-28 weeks. Women with pre-existing known diabetic conditions and chronic systemic illness were not included. The standardized OGTT (75g) was performed on all participants after an overnight fast. The plasma glucose samples were taken at the fasting, 1 hour and 2 hours after glucose load. WHO/IADPSG diagnostic criteria were used for impaired OGTT. The demographics, BMI, parity, and family history of diabetes were documented and the data analyzed using the descriptive and inferential statistics.
Findings: A total of 1158 subjects had OGTT results shown to be impaired in 330 women (28.7). The most prevalent abnormality was Fasting hyperglycemia (20.9%). Students whose OGTT was impaired were very high in overweight/obese women (41.2%), multiparous (34.1%), and those with family history of diabetes (39.3%).
Conclusion: The percentage of younger pregnant women having impaired glucose tolerance was significant, which means that the age under 35 cannot be classified as a low-risk group. Universal OGTT screening can be better than risk-based strategies in high-risk populations.
Keywords: OGTT impairment, gestational diabetes, pregnancy, Baqai Medical University.