The aim of this study is to help better understand kidney function throughout pregnancy and blood sugar (glucose) levels late in pregnancy.

Acute Kidney Injury(AKI) is a sudden fall in kidney function. It can happen in pregnancy, during birth and after birth. AKI can cause problems for the pregnancy and the mother and in the longer term for a mother’s health. Currently, normal kidney function in pregnancy is unknown. This study will aim to more clearly define normal kidney function levels in pregnancy, thereby allowing a more accurate diagnosis of Acute Kidney Injury in the future.

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that can develop during  pregnancy. Currently, gestational diabetes is diagnosed by a test called an Oral Glucose Tolerance TEST (OGTT), which is performed at around 24-28 weeks of pregnancy and is offered to mother’s who have risk factors for developing gestational diabetes. At times, whilst this result is normal, some women may go on to develop late onset of gestational diabetes and it may go undetected.     

This study aims to look at normal levels of glucose in pregnant women after 32 weeks of pregnancy, using 2 types of test, with a view of finding best way to diagnose late onset gestational diabetes.

Women can choose to take part in both parts of the study, or the AKI aspect of the study.

The study commenced December 2019