A master’s thesis of the Department of Medical Physiology discussed the level of leptin hormone in pregnant women with gestational diabetes and pregnant women with type 1 diabetes and its relationship to the level of c-peptide, insulin hormone and body mass index as well as its relationship to the level of fats in the blood, which was presented by the student Hind N. Qassim, on Thursday, 8th July 2021.

The thesis aimed to clarify and understand the interaction of these hormones during pregnancy and their role in gestational diabetes of type 1 diabetes and their importance in the diagnosis and treatment of these diseases in the future.

The study concluded that the levels of the hormone leptin and c-peptide increase in patients with gestational diabetes compared to normal pregnancy as a result of increased resistance to the hormone insulin, and it is lower in patients with type 1 diabetes as a result of the lack of insulin hormone in the blood. The study also found a clear positive relationship between the level of leptin hormone and body mass index in normal pregnancy and in gestational diabetes.

The discussion committee consisted of Prof Dr Qassim H. Abdullah (Chairman), Assistant Prof Dr Afraa M. Amin (Member), Lecturer Dr. Alya F. Sinallah (Member), and Lecturer Dr. Zaid Q. Omar (Member and Supervisor).

The discussion was attended by the Scientific and Administrative Vice-Deans, Assistant Prof Dr Humam Gh. Ibrahim, and Assistant Prof Dr Hazim Kh. Al-Allaf. It was also attended by the Former Dean, Prof Dr Bibin Kh. Al-Sulayvani as well as a number of teaching staff of the department.