Perinatal significance of diagnosing glucose intolerance during pregnancy with portable glucose meter

To evaluate the effect on perinatal outcome of replacing glucose measurements for the diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus in central laboratories with those obtained by portable glucose meter.

Simultaneously, venous blood samples were taken at the 100-g glucose tolerance test, and finger capillary blood glucose levels were also measured with a portable glucose meter in 180 pregnant patients. Patient management was according to the venous plasma glucose results. Following deliveries, the women were reallocated to diagnostic groups by both methods of measurements and by using the same cutoff values, and the outcome data were compared.

By using glucose values obtained by portable glucose meters instead of the results attained in the central laboratory, more women were diagnosed with gestational diabetes (33 vs 25) and the perinatal outcome was comparable.

Obstetricians have to identify glucose intolerance during pregnancy in order to prevent macrosomia and its perinatal complications. These goals can be achieved with at least the same efficacy by performing the 100-g glucose tolerance test with a portable glucose meter as with current laboratory methods. Such an approach is time and resource saving and more convenient for both patients and health providers.