Life-course management of gestational diabetes mellitus: A narrative review

Table 2 Risk stratification framework for gestational diabetes mellitus screening

Risk level	Key characteristics	Recommended screening approach
High	BMI ≥ 30 kg/m², prior GDM, strong family history, PCOS	Early OGTT (< 20 weeks), repeat at 24-28 weeks
Moderate	BMI 25-29.9 kg/m², age ≥ 30 years, non-White ethnicity	Standard OGTT at 24-28 weeks
Low	BMI < 25 kg/m², age < 25 years, no risk factors	Routine screening or selective as per policy

High-risk individuals may benefit from early screening, ideally before 24 weeks of gestation, to enable timely diagnosis and intervention. BMI: Body mass index; GDM: Gestational diabetes mellitus; PCOS: Polycystic ovary syndrome; OGTT: Oral glucose tolerance test.