Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) as a serious health issue
among high risk pregnant women who were either undiagnosed
or those who were ignored after diagnosis and to their unborn
children’s health [1]. GDM appears as a temporary clinical condition
during pregnancy but carries long term risk of type 2 diabetes
mellitus in pregnant women if not properly managed. Untreated
gestational diabetes poses greater challenge to pregnant women
and is associated with long-term consequences for the offspring
like longer gestational age, premature birth, neonatal respiratory
distress syndrome, hypoglycemia and impaired glucose metabolism
in early age [2]. In Nepal the situation is even worse. Around 81,000
babies are born preterm every year in Nepal of which obesity and
diabetes accounts to 14 % and 9 % respectively [3]. The prevalence
of GDM is nearly 20% which is higher compared to Asian countries
like India and Pakistan or Belgium or South Korea [2]. National
data by Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) [4] lacks
information on GDM in antenatal care and International Diabetes
Federation (IDF) [5] does not show the number of life birth affected
by hyperglycemia in pregnancy in Nepal. This situation is going to
pose a greater threat to country’s health and economy if it is not
controlled. Nepal needs to perform systemic screening of GDM,
collect proper data, evaluate risk indictors, establish diagnostic
facility and scale up GDM management in every healthcare facility
around the country the earliest possible.