Ensure accurate and accessible gestational diabetes testing

Background

Require NHS England to address known risks in gestational diabetes testing, including sample degradation, inconsistent practice and barriers to access, and take action to ensure every pregnant woman can access accurate and equitable testing and prevent missed diagnoses that can cause serious harm.

Additional details

NIHR-funded research found that under routine NHS conditions more than half of gestational diabetes cases are being missed. Unless blood samples are processed correctly, glucose degrades, producing falsely low results that can leave women undiagnosed. Missed GDM increases risks for mothers and babies, including stillbirth and future type 2 diabetes. Hospital-based testing can also create access barriers. Women should be able to trust their test result.

Where it’s popular

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