Early versus Second-Trimester Screening and Treatment for Diabetes in Pregnancy

After a decades-long debate regarding the usefulness of universal screening for and treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus, two large randomized, controlled trials of screening in the second trimester that were published in the Journal in 20051 and 20092 clearly showed that such screening and treatment reduced morbidity related to gestational diabetes, when diagnosed, among both mothers and their offspring. Universal second-trimester screening for gestational diabetes has long been recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Diabetes Association. Many of the complications associated with untreated gestational diabetes, such as excessive fetal growth, birth injury, preeclampsia, and . . .