Barriers to completing oral glucose tolerance testing in women at risk of gestational diabetes

Complications of gestational diabetes (GDM) can be mitigated if the diagnosis is recognized. However, some at-risk women do not complete antenatal diagnostic oral glucose tolerance testing (OGTT). We aimed to understand reasons contributing to non-completion, particularly to identify modifiable factors.

Some 1906 women attending a tertiary UK obstetrics centre (2018-2019) were invited for OGTT based on risk-factor assessment. Demographic information, test results and reasons for non-completion were collected from the medical record. Logistic regression was used to analyse factors associated with non-completion.

Some 242 women (12.3%) did not complete at least one OGTT, of whom 32.2% (n = 78) never completed testing. In adjusted analysis, any non-completion was associated with younger maternal age [≤ 30 years; odds ratio (OR) 2.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.6-3.4; P < 0.001], Black African ethnicity (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.2-5.5; P = 0.011), lower socio-economic status (OR 0.9, 95% CI 0.8-1.0; P = 0.021) and higher parity (≥ 2; OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1-2.8; P = 0.013). Non-completion was more likely if testing indications included BMI ≥ 30 kg/m² (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.4; P = 0.009) or family history of diabetes (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.5-3.3; P < 0.001) and less likely if the indication was an ultrasound finding (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-0.9; P = 0.035). We identified a common overlapping cluster of reasons for non-completion, including inability to tolerate test protocol (21%), social/mental health issues (22%), and difficulty keeping track of multiple antenatal appointments (15%).

There is a need to investigate methods of testing that are easier for high-risk groups to schedule and tolerate, with fuller explanation of test indications and additional support for vulnerable groups.