Early Gestational Diabetes Diagnosis Linked to Less Weight Gain

Early gestational diabetes diagnosis in high-risk women is beneficial for optimizing gestational weight gain, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in the Journal of Women's Health.// The timing of gestational diabetes diagnosis reduced gestational weight gain in the first trimester and in the pregnancy overall, according to the study.

Screening for gestational diabetes is usually performed during the second trimester at 24-28 weeks. In this study, high-risk women -- those who were obese or had a history of gestational diabetes -- were screened during the first trimester, at about ten weeks.

Women diagnosed early with gestational diabetes had significantly less gestational weight gain (2.4 kg less) than women diagnosed during the second trimester. Furthermore, among obese women, only those diagnosed with early gestational diabetes were, on average, able to meet the Institute of Medicine guidelines for an overall gestational weight gain of less than 9.0 kg (mean 8.1 kg).

Obese women diagnosed with gestational diabetes were less likely to exceed these guidelines if they were diagnosed earlier rather than later in pregnancy.

Source-Eurekalert