1 Overview The purpose of the project is to determine if screening for diabetes mellitus, in women with gestational diabetes, can be done 24 hours postpartum versus 6-12 weeks postpartum.
Primary Objective: To compare the results from screening for type 2 diabetes 24 hours postpartum versus 6-12 weeks postpartum.
Design and Project Type Prospective cohort study. Women diagnosed with gestational diabetes and receiving anti-hyperglycemic medication therapy will have testing for type 2 DM done 24 hours after delivery. They will also have routine screening for type 2 DM done at 6-12 weeks postpartum.
Description of Intervention The intervention is early screening for type 2 DM which involves oral intake of a 75-- gram (g) glucose drink and subsequent measurement of fasting, 1- hour, and 2- hour postprandial point of care fingerstick s for blood glucose measurement.
Instruments Fingerstick testing will be done with StatStrip Glucose Hospital Meter (Nova Biomedical). This device is used routinely throughout the hospital and has been validated for use in all patients, including the critically ill. Using point of care testing will allow for accurate results with less pain for the patient, as compared to (fingerstick versus venipuncture).
