New home diabetes test offered to pregnant women at risk

The test is carried out between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy, or earlier if the mother has had a positive diagnosis in a previous pregnancy. The test kit is sent to the woman’s home. It involves pricking a finger and then adding a small blood sample to a test strip contained in a small electronic device. A glucose drink is then consumed, followed by a two-hour rest period before another finger prick test is carried out. The test data is then downloaded for processing using a smartphone app, with the results instantly transferred to the midwifery team for review.

As with the traditional test, women must fast the night before and during the test.

Kate Harris, Deputy Director of Midwifery and Outpatient Gynaecology, said: “Our aim is to embrace digital technology so we can deliver high quality care. The introduction of GTT@home helps us achieve this as our community midwives, who would otherwise have had to manage the workload associated with traditional clinic testing, can now devote more time and expertise to other vital areas of antenatal and postnatal care.”

James Jackson, inventor of GTT@home and CEO and founder of Digostics, which manufactures the remote test, said: “We are delighted to be working with Medway Maritime Hospital to offer home gestational diabetes screening to all at-risk women in their care.

“Previous trials, together with the provision of multilingual services for non-English speakers, give us a high level of confidence in our ability to reach and select key patient groups through GTT@home.

“Because the test device analyzes both blood samples immediately, the technology also eliminates the risk of sample degradation that can occur between collection and laboratory analysis with in-clinic testing, which can lead to missed cases of gestational diabetes.”

The partnership between the hospital and Digostics will also see the two parties collaborate on research aimed at further improving gestational diabetes screening and providing new insights into diabetes management during pregnancy.

Claire Rosten, Head of Innovation for Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex, said: “Collaborations like these will help ensure better health outcomes for women, improve access to care and make a real difference to health equity.”