Strategies to improve postpartum glucose screening rates are needed

Women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) require postpartum glucose screening, as they have a 70% lifetime risk of developing Type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, less than half complete postpartum screening.

We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients who delivered at our institution from 2001 to 2019. Inclusion criteria were patients with gestational diabetes who were at least 18 years old and had delivered an infant at >24 weeks of gestation. Our primary outcome was completion of postpartum gestational diabetes screening.

The majority of patients (62%) did not complete screening. After adjusted risk ratio analyses, the only variables that remained significantly associated with an increased likelihood of completing screening were Asian race and having prenatal care at one particular community health center, which served a predominantly Asian population.

This community health center protocol for scheduling patients with GDM that complied with recommendations for postpartum care, indicating that evidence-based methods can improve maternal health.