Missed opportunities for diabetes prevention:post-pregnancy follow-up of women with gestational diabetes mellitus in England

摘要

Women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) should be followed-up to exclude ongoing diabetes and to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence [NICE] diabetes in pregnancy guideline recommends testing fasting plasma glucose [FPG] at 6 weeks postpartum, and annually thereafter.This study examines the reported practice of primary care [GPs] and secondary care (obstetricians and diabetologists) doctors at the time of publication of the NICE guideline, with regard to:the initial test used to exclude diabetes after GDM (short-term follow-up); tests used to screen for diabetes in women whose GDM resolved postpartum (long-term follow-up); and differences in views about GDM follow-up.