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A new study suggests that more than half of women with gestational diabetes in the UK remain undiagnosed due to flaws in the current NHS blood testing process, leading to potential risks for both mother and baby.
The research, led by Professor Claire Meek from the University of Leicester, alongside colleagues at the University of Cambridge, highlights that the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)—the standard method used to diagnose gestational diabetes—fails to detect many cases when blood samples are processed too slowly. The findings, published in the journal Diabetic Medicine on 17 December, suggest that quicker processing of blood samples could significantly improve the accuracy of diagnoses and prevent unnecessary complications.
Professor Meek, who is a Professor of Chemical Pathology and Diabetes in Pregnancy, stressed the importance of accurate diagnosis for managing gestational diabetes, which affects a large number of pregnant women in the UK. “Gestational diabetes is very common and can lead to serious complications during pregnancy and at birth. If diagnosis is delayed or inaccurate, affected women are unable to access the treatment they need, putting both their health and their baby’s health at risk.”
Currently, gestational diabetes is diagnosed during pregnancy through the OGTT, typically between 24 and 28 weeks. The test involves taking a blood sample before and two hours after consuming a sugary drink. However, red blood cells in the sample continue to consume glucose after the blood is drawn, causing a drop in glucose levels over time, which can lead to inaccurate results.
Professor Meek’s team compared the standard NHS processing procedures with a quicker processing method, where blood samples were processed within 2 to 4 hours. The results were striking: while only 9% of women were diagnosed with gestational diabetes under the standard method, 22% were identified when blood samples were processed more rapidly. This represents a missed diagnosis rate of 13%, meaning that more than half of the women who would have gone undiagnosed were detected with faster blood processing.
These findings suggest that, annually, between 28,000 and 30,000 pregnant women in the UK could be affected by undiagnosed gestational diabetes. Undiagnosed women are at risk of complications such as having larger babies, which can be prevented if the condition is identified and treated early. In fact, the study found that 37% of those identified through faster processing went on to have larger babies.
Danielle Jones, the Ph.D. student who coordinated the study, emphasized the impact on maternal and infant health. “Faster blood processing identified women with raised blood sugar levels who would have otherwise been missed by the standard test,” said Jones. “This is particularly important as larger babies can lead to complications that could have been avoided with early intervention.”
The research indicates that improving sample processing in NHS settings could offer a simple yet effective way to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies. With faster blood processing being achievable in most NHS settings, this change could help prevent many of the complications associated with undiagnosed gestational diabetes.
The study advocates for a review of the current NHS testing protocols to prioritize quicker processing as a means of ensuring better diagnosis and treatment for gestational diabetes.
For more information, the study can be found in the journal Diabetic Medicine: Danielle L. Jones et al, “Enhanced glucose processing in gestational diabetes diagnosis: Effects on health equity and clinical outcomes,” Diabetic Medicine, 2024. DOI: 10.1111/dme.15476.
