Findings published in the January issue of the peer-reviewed American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology suggest there is no improvement in pregnancy outcomes for obese women who receive early gestational diabetes screening.
The findings were presented Feb. 14 at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine’s annual Pregnancy Meeting™ by lead author Lorie Harper, M.D., associate professor in the Division of Maternal and Fetal Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The research received the Norman F. Gant Award for Best Research in Maternal Fetal Medicine by SMFM.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends earlier screening for gestational diabetes in women with certain risk factors like obesity, with routine screening taking place at 24-28 weeks’ gestation. However, there have been no randomized control trials that justify earlier screening in obese women for improved birth outcomes.