DIFFERENCE IN PREVALENCE OF GESTATIONAL DIABETES AND PERINATAL OUTCOME IN AN INNERCITY MULTIETHNIC LONDON POPULATION

In order to establish the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) among ethnic groups residing in the catchment area of one hospit al in central London and to assess both the mode of delivery and the b aby outcome, we studied retrospectively 703 women selected for screeni ng for GDM during the years 1991 and 1992. While the prevalence of GDM was approximately 2% overall, within the ethnic groups a significant difference was found with Asians and Africans/Afrocaribbeans being fou r and two times more likely to have GDM, respectively, than Caucasians (P < 0.001). Both maternal obesity and the diagnosis of GDM influence d the time and the mode of delivery, but perinatal mortality and morbi dity did not differ significantly between women with GDM and women wit h normal glucose tolerance. An association between the GTT glucose are a and the gestational age and ethnicity adjusted birth weight was obse rved in women with normal glucose tolerance test, but was absent in th e GDM pregnancies, providing indirect evidence that dietary treatment, with or without insulin treatment, altered the maternal milieu in the latter sufficiently to modify fetal growth.