Timing of gestational diabetes screening: is earlier always better?

Gestational diabetes (GD) is a condition that affects pregnant women and can have potential health risks for both the mother and the baby. Currently, there is a debate about when to screen for GD and whether early screening and treatment provide better outcomes.

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) examined the effectiveness of early screening for GD. The study found that immediate treatment did not significantly improve outcomes such as pregnancy-related hypertension and neonatal lean body mass.

In another large study, early screening for GD in high-risk women did not lower the incidence of adverse perinatal events. In fact, there were potential net harms identified in women who underwent early screening and had more risk factors.

Based on these findings, the current recommendations for routine screening at 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy still appear to offer the best balance of benefits and harms. Early screening and treatment may not necessarily lead to improved outcomes for high-risk women.