The first national report on gestational diabetes, released
today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, provides
insight into the increasing incidence of this disease in Australia
and who is at risk.
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a form of diabetes
diagnosed during pregnancy that lasts the duration of the
pregnancy.
Women with GDM are at increased risk of developing Type 2
diabetes and their babies are more likely to have a high birth
weight and suffer birth trauma.
The report, Gestational diabetes mellitus in Australia, 2005-06,
showed that in 2005-06, 4.6% of women aged 15-49 years who gave
birth in hospital were diagnosed with GDM.
'This amounts to more than 12,400 women and their babies
affected,' said Mardi Templeton of the Institute's Cardiovascular,
Diabetes and Kidney Unit.
The report found the incidence of gestational diabetes among all
Australian women in the 15-49 year age bracket increased by over
20% between 2000-01 and 2005-06.
The risk of being diagnosed with gestational diabetes increases
with age - from 1% among 15-19 year old women to 13% among women
44-49 years of age.
'As would be expected, the age group that has the most babies
(women aged 30-34 years) accounted for over 30% of GDM cases in
2005-06,' she said.
'Women born overseas are at greatest risk of being diagnosed
with gestational diabetes, with twice the incidence rate of women
born in Australia,' she said.
Women born in Southern Asia are at particularly high risk with
an incidence rate 3.4 times the rate of Australian-born women.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women were diagnosed with
gestational diabetes at a rate 1.5 times as high as other
Australian women and had a higher risk across all age groups.
Canberra, 1 December 2008
Further information: Mardi Templeton, AIHW,
tel. 6244 1128, mob.0407 915 851
For media copies of the report: Publications
Officer, AIHW, tel. (02) 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications area
for the availability of Gestational diabetes
mellitus in Australia, 2005-06.