Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 May;60(5):697-704.
doi: 10.1007/s00592-023-02042-x. Epub 2023 Feb 25.

Using flash glucose monitoring in pregnancies in routine care of patients with gestational diabetes mellitus: a pilot study

Sophie Bastobbe  1 , Yvonne Heimann  1 , Ekkehard Schleußner  1 , Tanja Groten  2 , Friederike Weschenfelder  1
Affiliations

Using flash glucose monitoring in pregnancies in routine care of patients with gestational diabetes mellitus: a pilot study

Sophie Bastobbe et al. Acta Diabetol. 2023 May.

Abstract

Aim: Flash glucose monitoring (FGM) has been approved for the care of pregnant women with preexisting diabetes since 2017. However, its use in gestational diabetes (GDM) has been critically discussed. Inaccuracy and missing recommendations for target values are the main arguments against the use of FGM in GDM. To date, there is a lack of data to justify routine use of FGM in GDM pregnancies. Consequently, this new technology has been withheld from GDM-patients. Aim of our pilot study was to analyze the impact of FGM use on pregnancy outcomes, patient's satisfaction and to confirm the safe use in GDM pregnancies.

Methods: Cohort study of 37 FGM-managed GDM pregnancies compared with 74 matched women using self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG). Group comparison using nonparametric testing concerning patients characteristic and perinatal outcome focusing on adverse outcomes (preeclampsia, preterm delivery, large for gestational age, C-sections, neonatal intensive care unit admission, hyperbilirubinemia and hypoglycemia). Evaluation of patient's treatment satisfaction using the "Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire change" (DTSQc) and patient interviews.

Results: No significant differences in patient's characteristics despite gestational age at diagnosis (FGM with 20 vs. SMBG with 25 weeks). No difference in gestational weight gain, HbA1c progression and perinatal outcome. Treatment satisfaction obtained by the DTSQc revealed a high level of satisfaction with FGM use.

Conclusion: FGM use was well accepted and did not affect perinatal outcome. Use of FGM during pregnancy is safe and non-inferior to the management with SBGM. FGM should be considered as an option in the management of GDM patients.

Keywords: FGM; Flash glucose monitoring; Gestational diabetes; Perinatal outcome; SMBG; Treatment; Treatment satisfaction.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest nor competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Subjective advantages of FGM use and selected statements from patient interviews
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Subjective disadvantages of FGM use and selected statements from patient interviews
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Ferrara A. Increasing prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus: a public health perspective. Diabetes Care. 2007;30(Suppl 2):S141–146. doi: 10.2337/dc07-s206. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Behboudi-Gandevani S, Amiri M, Bidhendi Yarandi R, Ramezani Tehrani F. The impact of diagnostic criteria for gestational diabetes on its prevalence: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetol Metab Syndr. 2019;11:11. doi: 10.1186/s13098-019-0406-1. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Mokdad AH, Serdula MK, Dietz WH, Bowman BA, Marks JS, Koplan JP. The spread of the obesity epidemic in the United States, 1991–1998. JAMA. 1999;282(16):1519–1522. doi: 10.1001/jama.282.16.1519. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Mokdad AH, Ford ES, Bowman BA, et al. Diabetes trends in the U.S.: 1990–1998. Diabetes Care. 2000;23(9):1278–1283. doi: 10.2337/diacare.23.9.1278. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Ehrenberg HM, Mercer BM, Catalano PM. The influence of obesity and diabetes on the prevalence of macrosomia. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2004;191(3):964–968. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2004.05.052. - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources