The utility of early gestational OGTT and biomarkers for the development of gestational diabetes mellitus: an international prospective multicentre cohort study – Published online 16/08/2025

Evelyn A. Huhn, Grammata Kotzaeridi, Thorsten Fischer, Monja Todesco Bernasconi, Anne S. Richter, Mirjam Kunze, Eva Dölzlmüller, Heidi Jaksch‑Bogensperger, Laura Weidinger, Daniel Eppel, Nicole Ochsenbein‑Koelble, Elke Bäz, Bettina Winzeler, Andrea Tura, Helena Stach, Günther Schäfer, Shane V. van Breda, Lenka Vokálová, Irene Hoesli, Christian S. Göbl

Currently, screening for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is usually carried out in the late second trimester. In this issue, Huhn et al (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-025-06517-0) describe a multicentre cohort study including 657 women from six European centres that aimed to evaluate the predictive performance of an early 75g OGTT in the first trimester of pregnancy for identifying women at high risk of GDM. The authors highlight that dynamically collected blood glucose values from the early OGTT (fasting, 60 min and 120 min) have good predictive accuracy not only for the development of gestational diabetes but also, in particular, for reliably predicting more complicated courses requiring insulin therapy. Some additional biomarkers, such as insulin, triglycerides and adiponectin, were also associated with risk, but their prognostic significance was lower. The authors conclude that early screening during the first trimester would allow preventive measures such as lifestyle interventions to be implemented earlier, reducing the risk of complications for both mother and child.

All News