Background: Our institution services a high proportion of women from different ethnic backgrounds. There are few data reporting on ethnic differences between women with GDM which may contribute to outcomes.
Aim: To explore the effect of ethnicity on pregnancy and baby outcomes in women with GDM.
Methods: A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from 1994-2012 held in a large database of women with GDM attending our institution. All women with GDM who had delivery/birth data were included. Independent samples T-tests were used to compare means; Chi squared tests were used to compare proportions; significance is p<0.05.
Results: Our audit identified 1808 women. The Table shows a number of outcomes: percent insulin use and maximum dose requirement (mean ± SD), proportions of women who underwent caesarean delivery, percent with neonatal hypoglycaemia, mean ethnically adjusted birth-weight centile and percent with large or small for gestational age babies (LGA, SGA).
Table 1 Outcomes according to ethnic grouping

a = p<0.05 when compared to European.
# = Number where data were available in the underlying field (eg 1808 had a treatment record).

Conclusions: There were statistically significant differences amongst ethnic groups in insulin use and maximum dose, as well as mode of delivery and ethnically adjusted birth-weight centile, LGA and SGA. These data can assist in informing our approach to GDM management amongst women from different ethnic backgrounds. For instance, South Asian women with GDM had the highest rate of caesarean delivery and the highest rate of a LGA infant, suggesting that more targeted scrutiny of glycaemic pattern, control and management may be warranted.