Screening test for Gestational Diabetes

Abstract

Three hundred pregnant women attending the antenatal out-patient clinic of TU Teaching Hospital between 24-28 weeks of gestation were screened for gestational diabetes using 50 g of oral glucose; venous blood plasma was drawn 1 hour later. Screening test value of >140 mg/dl was taken as cut off for performing the 3-hour diagnostic oral glucose tolerance test, OGTT.

Eleven [3.67%] pregnant women had their screening test value of >140 mg/dl and were again subjected to the 3-hour oral GTT, out of which two of the cases (0.66%) were diagnosed as diabetic.

Because of low prevalence of diabetes, we recommended only to screen women at high risk for gestational diabetes with 50 g oral glucose and a value of >140 mg/dl taken as cut off for performing the 3-hour oral GTT.