A SCREENING-PROGRAM FOR GESTATIONAL DIABETES IN A NORTH MEDITERRANEANAREA

The aim of our study was to evaluate the frequency of gestational diab etes mellitus (GDM) in the Padua area. Four hundred and ninety non-dia betic, nea-hospitalized pregnant women from Family Planning Clinics of a North Mediterranean Area were divided into Group A (234), with at l east one GDM risk factor, and Group B (256), with no risk factors. Gro up A underwent this screening programme with a glucose challenge test (GCT) and an oral glucose tolerance test when GCT was positive at the 10-14th gestational-week, (g.w.), at the 24-28th g.w. and at the 30-34 th g.w. Group B underwent the same screening starting at 24-28th g.w; 46.9% of the pregnant women had positive GCT with a higher frequency i n Group A (Group A. vs Group B, p<0.001). GDM prevalence in all 490 wo men was 10.8% with higher frequency in women with risk factors (Group A vs Group B, p<0.01). In our GDM patients a good metabolic control wa s obtained with diet alone, only 9.4% of the GDM patients needed insul in treatment. The anticipation of the screening at the first trimester of pregnancy for women with risk factors, allowed early diagnosis of 11.6% of GDM; these patients showed no differences to other GDM subjec ts regarding pregnancy outcome and fetal malformations. In regard to m aternal and fetal outcome the only significative differences between G DM and non-GDM were the prevalence of macrosomia and of cesarean secti ons.