The study shows gaps in the diabetes diagnosis of gestational diabetes in pregnant women

The study shows gaps in the diabetes diagnosis of gestational diabetes in pregnant women

Research examining testing methods for gestational diabetes suggests that more than half of pregnant women with the condition are not diagnosed using the current NHS blood testing process, leading to unnecessary complications for mother and baby.

The study, carried out by Professor Claire Meek from the University of Leicester and colleagues at the University of Cambridge with funding from the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR), could lead to a more accurate diagnosis of this serious condition more quickly.

The results were published in the journalDiabetic medicineToday (December 17th)

Gestational diabetes, which affects women during pregnancy, is very common in the UK and causes complications at the time of birth, affecting both mother and child.

Fortunately, most complications can be prevented with accurate diagnosis and access to treatment. However, if the diagnosis is not accurate, affected mothers cannot access the treatment they need. “

Claire Meek, Professor of Chemical Pathology and Diabetes in Pregnancy, University of Leicester

Gestational diabetes is diagnosed using an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at approximately 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy.

This test involves taking the mother's blood before consuming a sugary drink. Another sample is taken two hours later and tested. However, the red blood cells in the sample continue to use glucose after the blood is drawn, so

The rapid processing of the blood means that the glucose levels in the sample are most similar to the glucose levels in the patient's blood.

“We wanted to assess whether processing the samples improved the accuracy of the OGTT test more quickly.” Continued Professor Meek.

“We compared standard NHS sample processing procedures with an advanced processing plan which processed the blood more quickly.”

Using standard NHS sample processing procedures, 9% of women in the study were diagnosed with the condition. The researchers found that when blood is processed quickly, 22% of women in the study had gestational diabetes.

This means that 13% of women were missed with the standard test. More than half of the women who had gestational diabetes in the study would not have been diagnosed.

This could affect around 28,000 to 30,000 pregnant women in the UK each year.

Danielle Jones, the graduate student who coordinated the research project, was prevented when undiagnosed women had access to treatment. “

The data from this study suggest that improving NHS sample processing is vital to improving diabetes diagnosis of gestational diabetes. Access to treatment can also contribute to overgrowing babies. Processing blood (within 2 to 4 hours) is faster in most NHS settings, offering new opportunities to improve the health of mothers and babies.

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