suggests that gestational diabetes occurs in 2–9% of all pregnancies, but varies in direct proportion with the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in a given population or ethnic group. In the UK, the prevalence of gestational diabetes is estimated to be 2–12% (Department of Health, 2002).
Gestational diabetes usually presents afer the 28th week of pregnancy and is rarely noted before 20 weeks of gestation; hyperglycaemia before this time usually