INTRODUCTIONGestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) affects up to 15% of pregnant women worldwide and an estimated 4 million women in India.1 Early detection and initiation of treatment reduces adverse maternal and foetal outcomes. Most of the pregnancies that develop GDM is associated with dyslipidemia, the assessment of which in the 2nd trimester could serve as a potential diagnostic tool. Pregnant women destined to develop GDM had higher total cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides, CRP, and t-PA but ABSTRACTBackground: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus is an emerging problem which affects pregnant women all over the world particularly in India. Early detection reduces adverse maternal and foetal outcome. Elevated central adiposity is a modifiable risk factor for abnormal glucose homeostasis in pregnancy and GDM. The Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI) is a gender-specific index of fat distribution and assessment. Methods: It is a hospital based, case control study among the subjects who attended a tertiary care centre. cases were 30 pregnant women newly diagnosed with GDM in their 2nd trimester, and Controls were 30 apparently healthy pregnant women in their 2nd trimester without risk factors for GDM such as obesity and family history for diabetes. Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI) was calculated using the formula (Waist circumference (WC)/ {36.58 +(1.89xBMI)}) x(TGL/0.81) x (1.52/HDL) where WC is expressed in cm, BMI in Kg/m2, TG in mmol/L, HDL in mmol/L. Results: The mean age of patients with GDM was higher when compared to controls (28.17 ± 3.34vs 24.40±3.07) and this difference was statistically significant (p value < 0.0001). The average weights were significantly different. The mean Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) was 23.59 ± 4.19 and 88.46 ± 7.10 respectively among controls and 29.85 ±4.52 and 102.12 ± 6.96 respectively among GDM patients and these differences were highly significant (p value<0.0001). The lipid profile of these patients showed a significantly higher value of Triglycerides among patients. Conclusions:This study correlates GDM with Visceral adiposity index and found that the index to be elevated in the GDM group. The increased VAI in GDM patients shows their elevated adipose tissue distribution. VAI is less invasive and cost effective, can be used as a diagnostic index in GDM.

No abstract

Introduction: The father's support is most fundamental influence in the breastfeeding process, but attitude and knowledge of men towards breastfeeding has not been given due importance and been rarely explored and studied. Aim: This study aims at evaluating the knowledge and attitude of fathers of neonates about breastfeeding. Materials and methods: Using questionnaire approach a prospective cohort study was undertaken over a period of three months from April 2019 to June 2019 in our medical college hospital. Fathers of 104 neonates born consecutively in our tertiary care centre have been included in the study. Results: A total of 104 fathers were included in the study (n=104). The average of the fathers interviewed was 28.8 years. Most were literate, having completed high school. All fathers agreed that breast feeding is essential. Only 40% felt exclusive breastfeeding to be given. 92 out of 104 (90%) agreed breast feeding is a cheaper option than formula feeds. Surprisingly, only 12 out of 104 (11%) reported any difficulty in breast feeding. Only about 30% had attended antenatal counselling regarding breast feeding though nearly 70% felt fathers have a supporting role in breast feeding. Less than 10% father's felt they have no role in breast feeding. Conclusion: We conclude that attitude of father plays a major role in making breastfeeding exclusive. Hence knowledge of breastfeeding should be given to fathers as well in antenatal period.