A widely used test for gestational diabetes “frequently misses the condition it is meant to detect”, latest research has shown.
A new study from Kobe University in Japan has found that a casual blood glucose test misses 70% of gestational diabetes cases.
Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar that develops during pregnancy and usually disappears after giving birth.
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If gestational diabetes is not treated well, it can cause pregnancy problems and babies are at risk of growing larger than usual.
In addition, women with poorly managed gestational diabetes are at risk of going on to develop type 2 diabetes.
Between weeks 24 and 28 of pregnancy, all women should have an oral glucose tolerance test, according to the International Association of the Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups.
It involves having a blood test in the morning, when you have not had any food or drink for eight to 10 hours.
You are then given a glucose drink before resting for two hours.
Then another blood sample is taken to see how your body is dealing with the glucose.
However, the study has revealed that this standard test misses up to 70% of gestational diabetes cases, with researchers now calling for more rigorous testing measures to be in place.
First author Tomimoto Masako said: “Although there have been studies showing that the casual blood glucose test is less sensitive than others, no studies have directly compared the results in the same individuals.
“Our study confirmed that this screening method, which is widely used in practice, frequently misses the condition it is meant to detect.”
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Tomimoto Masako added: “In Japan, where about half of all deliveries take place in obstetric clinics rather than in hospitals, the more accurate but complicated and time-consuming tests are not widely used.
Fellow author Tanimura Kenji said: “We would like to educate healthcare professionals and patients about this danger and encourage them to promote the use of the more accurate glucose tolerance screening method.
“We hope that our data can contribute to improvements in the management system and to the revision of the guidelines for gestational diabetes mellitus screenings.”
Tanimura Kenji concluded: “The goal is to protect more mothers and babies from gestational and childbirth issues caused by this form of diabetes, and in general reduce the risk of developing the disease in the future.”
Read the study in full in the Journal of Diabetes Investigation.
