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The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that pregnant women be screened for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) after 24 weeks of pregnancy, which is when placental hormone-induced insulin resistance peaks.1 The basis for the USPSTF recommendation is that, compared with no treatment, treating women who have GDM with dietary modifications, glucose monitoring, and insulin (when target glucose concentration is not met) lowers risk for preeclampsia and newborn shoulder dystocia, which can lead to a serious form of birth trauma.2 The main harm associated with screening for GDM is additional prenatal visits. However, the USPSTF does not recommend a specific approach to screening.
Two approaches are used widely for GDM screening…