Testing earlier for gestational diabetes a smarter way to screen preg...( eloping gestational diabetes said Nah...),Health

Nahum said that for women who fall in the intermediate range (111 mg/dL to 134 mg/dL) at 16 weeks, a repeat glucose screening test should be given at 28 weeks to assess whether the woman should be sent for more in-depth testing.

While it is a natural assumption to say that earlier screenings should lead to better outcomes for mother and baby, Nahum said more studies are needed to confirm that.

"We don't know how earlier diagnosis of gestational diabetes will impact maternal-fetal outcomes because we didn't examine that in this study, but that is certainly something to focus on in future research," he said.

Gestational diabetes occurs in 2 percent to 7 percent of all pregnancies in the United States. It develops when a pregnant woman is not able to produce enough insulin to keep her blood sugar, also known as glucose, within a normal range that is safe for her and her developing baby.

Complications from gestational diabetes include above-average weight gain for the baby that can result in injury to the nerves in the baby's neck from a difficult delivery, an increased risk of newborn fractures, a higher likelihood of fetal distress and possible hypoglycemia, jaundice or breathing problems in the baby.

Changes in diet and exercise are usually enough to help keep blood sugar levels within the normal range, but in some cases insulin injections are needed. Most women who develop diabetes during pregnancy go back to having normal glucose tolerance after the birth of the baby; however, these women may be at greater risk for adult onset diabetes mellitus later in life.

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Contact: Amy Austell
amy.austell@duke.edu
919-684-4148
Duke University Medical Center
23-Aug-2002