Diabetes Care, Vol 23, Issue 1 15-17, Copyright © 2000 by American Diabetes Association

ARTICLES

Gestational diabetes: is a higher cesarean section rate inevitable?

RG Moses, SJ Knights, EM Lucas, M Moses, KG Russell, KJ Coleman and WS Davis
Illawarra Area Health Service, Wollongong, Australia. robert_moses@uow.edu.au

OBJECTIVE: To determine the rate of and indication for cesarean section for women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) compared with glucose-tolerant women. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: From a consecutive series of women with GDM seen over a 9-year period for medical management, women who had had a cesarean section were identified and the reason for the section determined from a review of the medical record. A control group of women who had had a section were obtained from an existing database of glucose-tolerant women. RESULTS: The section rate for women with GDM was higher at 19.8% than the 15.6% for glucose-tolerant women. However, after adjustment for age and parity, no significant differences were found. There were also no differences found for the primary indication for section. CONCLUSIONS: In our health area of New South Wales, Australia, women with GDM do not have a higher section rate compared with glucose-tolerant women. Concerns about the diagnosis of GDM leading to an increased rate of obstetric intervention should not be generalized.
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