Pregnant women should be tested for diabetes much earlier, research suggests

According to research, pregnant women should be tested for diabetes much earlier than current practice, between 24 and 28 weeks.

Gestational diabetes, a form of the condition that only develops during pregnancy, affects thousands of women in Britain and one in seven pregnancies worldwide. It is the most common medical complication of pregnancy and occurs when a hormone produced by the placenta prevents the body from using insulin effectively, leading to elevated blood sugar levels.

Without treatment, gestational diabetes can lead to high blood pressure, an increased risk of caesarean sections, mental health problems and complications for the baby during delivery, in addition to health complications for the mother later in life, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

In England, like many other countries, women at risk of gestational diabetes are usually tested between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy.

Twenty-eight academics from thirteen countries have called for testing and treatment before fourteen weeks of pregnancy, rather than in the third trimester, to prevent complications during and after pregnancy.

To write three linked articles in the Lancet, the authors say they conducted a literature review of the evidence and noted that a significant proportion of women had high blood glucose in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. They had worse pregnancy outcomes compared to women whose gestational diabetes was not present until later in pregnancy. Previous treatment helped reduce these risks.

Prof David Simmons, from Western Sydney University, the series’ lead author, said there is “an urgent need for a major change” in the diagnosis and treatment of gestational diabetes, not just during pregnancy but throughout the lives of mothers and their babies. .

This would include new systematic approaches to prevention, early treatment and more research to better understand how gestational diabetes affects women and their children during pregnancy and throughout their lives, he added.

Dr. Lucy Chambers, head of research communications at Diabetes UK, said: “Gestational diabetes touches the lives of thousands of women in Britain every year, increasing the risk of ill health for them and their baby, not just during pregnancy but also throughout their pregnancy . lives too.

“This review, which shows that detection and treatment in the first trimester reduces some of these risks, highlights the need for a better understanding of how this evidence may impact on current antenatal care practices in Britain, where testing for gestational diabetes is usually the standard. during the later stages of pregnancy.

“Investing in research to enable better treatment and support for women with gestational diabetes is also a priority.”

Amina Hatia, midwifery manager at pregnancy research and infant loss charity Tommy’s, said: “Any shift to early testing is welcome if it means there is better support and the risk and symptoms of gestational diabetes can be better managed with personalized and specialist care. when needed.”