Objective: Our purpose was to determine the incidence of and evaluate risk factors for postpartum glucose intolerance among predominantly black gestational diabetic women.
Study design: One hundred forty-five gestational diabetics underwent a standard 2-hour glucose tolerance test in the early puerperium according to the criteria of the National Diabetes Data Group.
Results: Fourteen patients (10%) were diabetic and eight (5%) showed impaired glucose tolerance. Maternal age, race, or obesity did not predict abnormal postpartum glucose tolerance testing. The requirement of insulin for glucose control during gestation and gestational age at diagnosis were significantly associated with abnormal postpartum glucose tolerance (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.012, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that only a requirement for insulin for glucose control was significant (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes are at increased risk of glucose intolerance during the early postpartum period. Abnormal glucose tolerance occurs predominantly among those patients requiring insulin therapy during gestation or those diagnosed before 24 weeks' gestation.