One in eight pregnant women gets gestational diabetes
A new study has shown that nearly 13% of pregnant women in Flanders and Brussels develop gestational diabetes, which could lead to complications for both mother and child
Numbers much higher than thought
Gestational diabetes involves the development of high blood glucose levels during pregnancy, normally between sixth and seventh month. The condition leads to an increased risk of overweight babies and pre-eclampsia, which can lead to serious complications for both the mother and baby. Mothers who have gestational diabetes also run a higher risk of getting permanent diabetes.
The researchers measured the blood values of pregnant women before and after drinking a glucose solution. Previous to the study, it was thought that about one in 50 pregnant women was confronted with gestational diabetes.
Obesity and a family history of diabetes are the greatest risk factors in gestational diabetes. Researchers involved in the study, known as the BEDIP-N project, are working to determine a uniform method to diagnose and treat the condition locally.
The BEDIP-N project is a co-operation between the hospitals UZ Leuven, UZ Antwerpen, Imelda Bonheiden, OLV Aalst, OLV Asse, Sint-Jan Brugge and Sint-Jan Brussel. About 2,000 women participated in the first part of the study. For the second part, the researchers are looking for more pregnant women to be tested for gestational diabetes.
