Gestational diabetes--worth finding and actively treating

Abstract

Gestational diabetes affects around 5% of pregnant women, however the value of screening women for gestational diabetes has been hotly debated. On the positive side there has been potential benefits for the baby and, on the negative side, the costs of managing gestational diabetes to the mother. This controversy has largely been settled with the publication of the Australasian Carbohydrate Intolerance Study (ACHOIS). This article reviews the implications of ACHOIS for Australian women and their general practitioners.