AQUATIC PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF GESTATIONAL DIABETES- A NEED FOR LOW INCOME REGIONS OF PAKISTAN

Gestational diabetes is increasing globally with the rise in obesity and type II diabetes 1. Gestational diabetes is also intensifying among the Pakistani population. Although no significant data regarding the prevalence of GDM is available in Pakistan, one of the reports suggested approximately 6.5% GDM incidence 2. This imposed a huge economic burden as the treatment approaches are costly and jeopardizing maternal and fetal health. In this situation where the conventional approaches of treatment are beyond the means of general population, alternate management approaches like general exercises strategies, walking, cycling, yoga and aquatic physical therapy could turn out to be beneficial in terms of cost effectiveness.