Earlier gestational diabetes diagnosis, less weight gain

A new study has shown that initiating screening for gestational diabetes in high-risk women in the first trimester of pregnancy instead of the second trimester, allowing for treatment to start earlier, can help optimize gestational weight gain. The timing of gestational diabetes diagnosis reduced gestational weight gain in the first trimester and in the pregnancy overall, according to the study published in Journal of Women's Health.

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 10 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 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.