Screening for gestational diabetes: an analysis of health benefits and costs

The current recommendation to screen all pregnant mothers for diabetes at 28 weeks of gestation is examined using known epidemiological evidence in a cost-benefit analysis. The available data indicate that the potential decrease in the perinatal mortality rate would be the most cost-efficient potential health outcome of a gestational diabetes screening policy. A decrease in macrosomia and cesarean sections would be additional potential benefits, but at a cost so great that it is not an important factor in making a decision to screen for gestational diabetes. Since it is unlikely that a study can be done that would ethically demonstrate the effectiveness of universal screening in decreasing the perinatal mortality rate, further research should perhaps focus on decreasing the cost of screening, as the available data do not clearly demonstrate a favorable cost-benefit ratio in universal screening for gestational diabetes.