Guideline use for gestational diabetes mellitus and current screening, diagnostic and management practices in Australian hospitals

A postal questionnaire investigating screening, diagnosis and management pr actices for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and guidelines use for GDM, was sent to 544 Australian hospitals providing maternity care. Of these, 3 60 (66%) responded. Guidelines for GDM were available in 127 (39%) hospital s. Screening for GDM was undertaken by 284 (87%) hospitals and of these, 15 1 (53%) screened all women and 63 (22%) selectively screened women. Half (1 43, 50%) of the hospitals surveyed screened women using a 50 g oral glucose challenge test (OGCT) and 70 hospitals (25%) used a 75 g OGCT. A 75 g oral glucose tolerance test was most commonly used to diagnose GDM ( 207; 81%) and 126 hospitals (60%) recommended a 2 hour blood glucose level of greater than or equal to 8.0 mmol/l as diagnostic for GDM. In the manage ment of women with GDM, levels for optimal glycaemic control varied. Postpa rtum testing for diabetes mellitus was recommended by the majority of hospi tals (202; 72%). This study has shown the majority of Australian hospitals providing maternity care screening for GDM, but there is little consensus i n screening practices.