Women and Infants Hospital joins national gestational diabetes study

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) – Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island announced Monday it will be participating in a nationwide study on gestational diabetes.

The goal of the study is to improve the diagnosis and treatment of gestational diabetes by better understanding blood glucose levels throughout pregnancy. The hospital says this study builds off of a previous study on hyperglycemia and adverse pregnancy outcomes and its follow-up.

“By understanding more about glucose levels during pregnancy, we can identify potential early indicators of gestational diabetes and pinpoint the best times to screen for and treat it,” said Dr. Barbara Linder, the project scientist for the study.

The study will enroll 2,150 people in their first trimester of pregnancy, who do not currently have diabetes.

The study is funded by NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).