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Significant seasonal variations in the rate of women diagnosed with gestational diabetes: A observational single centre study of 28,128 women
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  • Matthew Cauldwell,
  • Yolande VanDerI'isle,
  • Ingrid Watt-Coote,
  • Philip Steer
Matthew Cauldwell
Academic Department of Obstetrics

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Yolande VanDerI'isle
St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
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Ingrid Watt-Coote
St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
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Philip Steer
Imperial College London
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Abstract

Objective To test the hypothesis that there is seasonal variation in the rates of gestational diabetes (GDM) diagnosed using a 2 hour oral glucose tolerance test. Design Monthly assessment of the percentage of women screened from 1st April 2016 to the 31st December 2020 who were diagnosed as having gestational diabetes Setting London Teaching Hospital Population 28,128 women receiving antenatal care between April 1st 2016 and 31 December 2020. Methods Retrospective study of prospectively collected data. Main Outcome Measures Proportion of women screened diagnosed as having gestational diabetes. Results The mean (SD) percentage of women diagnosed with GDM was 14.78 (2.24) in summer (June, July, August) compared with 11.23 (1.62) in winter (p < 0.001), 12.13 (1.94) in spring (p = 0.002), and 11.88 (2.67) in autumn (p = 0.003). There was a highly significant positive correlation of the percentage testing positive for GDM with the mean maximum monthly temperature (R2 = 0.248, p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant 33.8% increase in the proportion of GDM diagnoses from June 2020 onwards, possibly related to a reduction in exercise secondary to the Covid-19 pandemic. Conclusions There is a 23.3% higher rate of GDM diagnoses in the warmer summer months. There has been a 33.8% rise in GDM diagnoses associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.
29 Jan 2021Submitted to BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
30 Jan 2021Submission Checks Completed
30 Jan 2021Assigned to Editor
22 Mar 2021Reviewer(s) Assigned
08 Apr 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
10 Apr 2021Editorial Decision: Revise Major
17 Apr 20211st Revision Received
22 Apr 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
22 Apr 2021Submission Checks Completed
22 Apr 2021Assigned to Editor
22 Apr 2021Reviewer(s) Assigned
04 May 2021Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
07 May 20212nd Revision Received
08 May 2021Submission Checks Completed
08 May 2021Assigned to Editor
08 May 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
12 May 2021Editorial Decision: Accept