SCREENING FOR GESTATIONAL DIABETES-MELLITUS IN ADOLESCENT PREGNANCIES

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine the incidence of gestational d iabetes mellitus in an adolescent population and to determine the cost of screening. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review of 509 adolescent pregnancies was performed. The incidence of gestational diabetes melli tus was determined and the cost of screening analyzed. RESULTS: Five h undred nine adolescent pregnancies were screened for gestational diabe tes mellitus with a 1-hour, 50 gm oral glucose challenge test. Twenty- three of the screens (4.5%) had positive results at a plasma glucose l evel of greater than or equal to 140 mg/dl. Three-hour 100 gm oral glu cose tolerance tests were performed on screen-positive women, six of w hom were diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus, for an incidenc e of 1.18%. The cost per case diagnosed was $2733. CONCLUSIONS: The in cidence of gestational diabetes mellitus in an adolescent population i s low. The cost of universal screening may be prohibitive in this popu lation. Large prospective studies are needed to better analyze outcome data and efficacy of screening in adolescent pregnancies.