In obese women, early screening for gestational diabetes does not lead to better birth outcomes as compared to screening done at the routine period, revealed researchers. The research was funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shiver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
If left untreated, gestational diabetes (GDM) can lead to pregnancy complications, including preterm birth, caesarean delivery and more.
Gestational diabetes
The condition is not caused by a lack of insulin, but by the action of hormones produced during pregnancy that blocks the action of insulin.
Advertisement
‘According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), gestational diabetes affects an estimated 2 - 10% of pregnancies in the United States.’
Tweet it Now
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that all pregnant women be screened for GDM. According to ACOG, routine screening for GDM should take place at 24 to 28 weeks gestation with earlier screening (at the initial prenatal visit) in women with certain risk factors, including obesity. To date, however, there have been no randomized control trials (RTC) that demonstrate early screening in obese women results in improved birth outcomes.
In the study, 959 obese pregnant women were randomized to two groups. The first group was screened between 14 - 20 weeks. The second group was screened at 24 - 28 weeks. A variety of birth outcomes were examined, including the rate of cesarean delivery, shoulder dystocia, hypertension, macrosomia, neonatal hypoglycemia, neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and more.
![Quiz on Gestational Diabetes]( "Quiz on Gestational Diabetes")
Gestational diabetes occurs in women during pregnancy when blood glucose levels increase in their body. It is diagnosed during the 24th week of pregnancy. Take this quiz to know more about its complications and how will your baby get affected if its left untreated.
"The only notable difference between women in the early screening group and those in the routine screening group was an increase in the use of insulin in the early screening group," said Lorie M. Harper, MD, MSCI, lead author of the abstract and associate professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. While there are no significant harms associated with insulin use in pregnancy, it can be painful to inject and costly.
"Our study results suggest that early screening in obese women is not beneficial," said Harper. "Since this the was the first of its kind, additional studies are needed to assess early screening in a large, diverse population and the best screening thresholds to use early in pregnancy."
Source: Eurekalert
Quiz on Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes occurs in women during pregnancy when blood glucose levels increase in their body. It is diagnosed during the 24th week of pregnancy. Take this quiz to know more about its complications and how will your baby get affected if its left untreated.
Advertisement
"The only notable difference between women in the early screening group and those in the routine screening group was an increase in the use of insulin in the early screening group," said Lorie M. Harper, MD, MSCI, lead author of the abstract and associate professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. While there are no significant harms associated with insulin use in pregnancy, it can be painful to inject and costly.
"Our study results suggest that early screening in obese women is not beneficial," said Harper. "Since this the was the first of its kind, additional studies are needed to assess early screening in a large, diverse population and the best screening thresholds to use early in pregnancy."
Source: Eurekalert
Improving Dietary Quality Benefits Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
Improving dietary quality may improve glycemic control in women with gestational diabetes mellitus, found new study.
Advertisement
 Gestational Diabetes Ups Risk of Mother’s Diabetes, Child’s ObesityModest increases in blood glucose during pregnancy boosted the mother's risk of developing type 2 diabetes or prediabetes and the risk of obesity in the mother's offspring at least a decade after giving birth. | Advertisement
|
Advertisement
Latest Women Health News
Experts suggest that getting regular mammograms at the age of 40 can help women prevent breast cancer.
The commonly used Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) is not useful for shared clinical decision-making regarding osteoporosis screening in younger postmenopausal women.
Researchers hypothesized that adverse pregnancy outcomes (APO) are associated with younger age at first stroke, with a stronger relationship in those with >1 pregnancy with APO.
Women grapple with the risk of mental illnesses as immense challenge of constantly striving for perfection and balancing multiple roles takes a toll.
Irrespective of dietary preferences, lactating mothers maintain similar concentrations of nutrients in their breast milk, when comparing vegan and omnivorous diets.