Screening for diabetes during pregnancy.

Blood was taken for plasma glucose estimation one hour after oral ingestion of 50 g of glucose in 948 of 970 women booking at an antenatal clinic during one year. An abnormal result (greater than or equal to 7.7 mmol/l) was obtained in 74 subjects of whom 68 subsequently had an oral glucose tolerance test. Fourteen of these women (1.5 per cent of the study population) were found to have chemical diabetes.