Screening for gestational diabetes mellitus in Korea.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effect of clinical characteristics on the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and to find the most effective screening program for GDM in Korea.


METHODS
Universal screening with a 50-g glucose load at 24-28 weeks' gestation, as recommended by the Third International Workshop-Conference on Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, was carried out among 3581 consecutive Korean women. Women with a 1-h plasma glucose > or = 130 mg/dl underwent a 3-h 100-g oral glucose tolerance test. The women's clinical characteristics and risk factors for GDM were recorded at the time of the screening test.


RESULTS
The overall prevalence of GDM in Korean women was 2.2 cases/100. Although only 1.3% of this population was obese, the prevalence of GDM was found to be significantly increased with increasing body mass index. When 135 mg/dl is used as a threshold, the number of women requiring a diagnostic test decreases to 19.5%, enabling identification of 98.8% of women with GDM.


CONCLUSIONS
Universal screening using 135 mg/dl as a threshold and early screening of those with two or more risk factors represent the most effective paradigm for Korea.
Jang
H C
HC
Department of Internal Medicine, Cheil General Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Cho
N H
NH
Jung
K B
KB
Oh
K S
KS
Dooley
S L
SL
Metzger
B E
BE
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008403:Mass Screening; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors