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Glycemic changes during first 48 h postpartum in mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus and non—diabetic mothers – a comparative study
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DOI：10.1186/s12884-026-09335-3.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common metabolic disorder in pregnancy and is associated with an increased risk of maternal complications and future development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. While glycemia is expected to normalize after delivery due to loss of placental hormones, early postpartum glycemic changes are not well understood. This study aims to assess the rate of normalization of blood glucose levels in the immediate postpartum period among mothers with GDM and to compare these changes with physiological glycemic patterns in non-diabetic mothers. This descriptive observational comparative study was conducted among postpartum mothers at the Professorial Unit, Ward 21, Colombo South Teaching Hospital. Mothers with GDM diagnosed using a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test were compared with non-diabetic mothers. Eligible women were recruited (n = 60; 30 per group) using stratified sampling, and capillary blood glucose was measured using validated glucometers within 2 h of delivery and before and 2 h after meals over 48 h. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and medical records and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistic. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) demonstrated consistently higher mean glucose levels compared to non-diabetic mothers during the early postpartum period. Statistically significant differences were observed at the majority of preprandial and postprandial time points within the first 48 h (p < 0.05). However, by the sixth meal, both preprandial and postprandial glucose values showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p > 0.05), indicating convergence of glucose levels and a trend toward normalization in mothers with GDM. Postpartum mothers with GDM show significantly higher glucose levels than non-GDM mothers during the first 48 h after delivery, with marked postprandial spikes and elevated pre-meal values despite a trend toward normalization by the 6th meal point. Early postpartum hyperglycemia resolves quickly by the sixth meal. Standard six week postpartum and long term diabetes screening remain the standard of care regardless of rapidity of glucose normalization.
Keywords:
Postpartum
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
Hyperglycemia
Pregnancy
Monitoring
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