
May 26, 2000
Gestational Diabetes
Question from Yahoo.com:
I have heard that the World Health Organization is recommending that obstetrics doctors in the US switch from doing a two-step diagnostic series for gestational diabetes (glucose challenge test and then an oral glucose tolerance test) to a one-step (75 grams of glucose, 2 hour oral GTT) test. Would the one-step test be done at 24-28 weeks’ gestation? What would the normal values be?
Answer:
Despite the WHO recommendation, in the United States the three-hour glucose challenge test remains the gold standard for diagnosing gestational diabetes. I would like to refer you to a reference for more detail on the current criteria for diagnosing diabetes: Diabetes Care, Volume 21, Supplement 1, January 1998.
OWJ
Additional comments from Dr. Bill Quick:
See the Classification and Diagnosis of Diabetes Guidelines at this website for more information about diagnosing diabetes.
WWQ