[The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus in Polish population]

The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of GDM in different parts of Poland and to assess whether 1 h--glucose plasma levels after 50 g glucose tolerance test (50 g OGTT) reflect the risk of GDM.

A total of 5778 pregnant women were screened with 50 g OGTT between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation. All subjects whose post-challenge glucose levels exceeded 140 mg/dl had 75 g OGTT performed according to WHO criteria.

The rate of abnormal screening test results ranged from 8.0% to 20.7% for different regions of Poland, respectively. The pathological 50 g OGTT results were from 140 mg/dl to 320 mg/dl. Screening test results within 140 mg/dl to 149 mg/dl were confirmed by positive 75 g OGTT only in 2.9% subjects. All patients whose 1 h--glucose levels at 50 g OGTT were greater than 190 mg/dl had pathological 75 g OGTT results as well.

The prevalence of GDM in different parts of Poland ranged from 2.0% to 3.8% (the average 3.4%).