MDRF to screen 4,000 pregnant women for early diagnosis of GDM

CHENNAI: Nearly 20 per cent of pregnant women are diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in their second trimester. But could they be identified in the first trimester? Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF) along with a centre in Kenya will be launching a project for early diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
The project, which will be funded by Medical Research Council, UK and Department of Biotechnology, Government of India will screen 4000 pregnant women in Chennai and Kenya during their first and second trimester.The idea is to come up with a GDM risk score card.
Director of MDRF Dr V Mohan said that it is in the second trimester that pregnant women are usually diagnosed for GDM. “We will screen the women both in the first and second trimester and look for risk factors for those with GDM in their first trimester. With that, we would come up with a GDM risk score,” he said.
At the International Update on Gestational Diabetes Mellitus on Saturday, the findings of the WINGS (Women in India with GDM Strategy) project where 2100 pregnant women were screened out of which 215 were diagnosed with GDM. The project was a collaboration between International Diabetes Federation, MDRF and Abbott Fund.
“We recommend that tests for GDM to be done with the woman fasting and that they can may be avoid too much testing. Presently, two tests are done a week. But we found that a test done once a week provides the same result,” Dr Mohan said. “We recommend that all pregnant women be tested for GDM,” the doctor added.