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Gestational Diabetes Screening: Benefits and Implications
Context:
Researchers from India, London, and Africa have suggested that the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), used to diagnose gestational diabetes in pregnant women, be replaced with an HbA1c test.
More on News:
- HbA1c test can be used at the point of care and recommended to be administered in the first trimester.
- HbA1c allows early intervention for those at the highest risk and reduces the need for OGTTs. offers a simple screening test for gestational diabetes.
- Healthcare workers can use point-of-care testing kits to test HbA1c with just a drop of blood at home.
- The direct cost of HbA1c is roughly double that of OGTT.
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Significance for India:
♦ Current guidelines recommend OGTT at 24 to 28 weeks, which is challenging in rural and remote areas. ♦ Only about 20% of women currently get tested by OGTT.
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About Gestational Diabetes:
- It is a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy when blood sugar levels become too high.
- It typically appears between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy.
- It impacts both mother and child long-term.
- GD does not mean the individual had diabetes before pregnancy; it develops due to pregnancy.
- Symptoms: Gestational diabetes often does not cause symptoms.
- Possible symptoms include Frequent urination, Nausea, Thirst, and Tiredness.
Causes
- Hormonal changes during pregnancy can interfere with insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels.
- It breaks down glucose from food and delivers it to cells, maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.
- Factors like genetics and being overweight can contribute to the development of GD.
Risk Factors
- Heart disease, High blood pressure, Inactivity, Obesity, Personal or family history of GD, Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), Previous birth of a baby weighing nine pounds or more, Prediabetes (history of higher-than-normal blood glucose).