A hospital trust has apologised to pregnant patients over possible errors during gestational diabetes testing.

The trust, which includes Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham, has written to patients with gestational diabetes regarding a possible error in the amount of glucose given to them during glucose tolerance tests.

Gestational diabetes is diabetes that can develop during pregnancy. It affects women who haven’t been affected by diabetes before and means they have high blood sugar and need to take extra care.

Lynn Woolley, the trust’s director of maternity services and midwifery, said: ‘We became aware in January that over a significant period of time, there was an error in the volume of a glucose drink given for testing for gestational diabetes. The increased amount of sugar in the larger volume, while not harmful to mother or baby, might have been enough for some women to test positive for gestational diabetes and therefore be placed on the care pathway for the condition.

‘The pathway includes increased monitoring during pregnancy with more scans, regular finger-prick blood testing each day by the women and initial blood sugar monitoring of the babies at birth. Some women may also have had an earlier induction of labour, but this is less likely because, if not affected by gestational diabetes, their blood sugars would have been stable throughout the remaining part of pregnancy and therefore not requiring earlier intervention (unless for another reason).

‘Our specialist diabetes team offered reviews to all women who were still pregnant at the time the error was discovered and we have now also written to women whose previous pregnancies may have been directly impacted by the diagnosis. We sincerely apologise for the anxiety this testing error may cause. As soon as the issue came to light, a full investigation was launched at PHU by an experienced team to look at how the error occurred, how many patients may have been affected and if anyone was harmed as a result of a false-positive test result. In terms of this being likely to happen again, the service took immediate steps to eliminate the risk by moving to a different glucose drink, where one full bottle equals one correct dose.’

Charles Derham , Director of Remedy law comments ‘a diagnosis of GD can be very scary for am expectant mother. It can change the course of pregnancy, causing anxiety and distress, but also potential health implications or complications’.

Remedy Law are instructed to investigate this matter on behalf of an individual who had a significantly different outcome to the final months of her pregnancy as a result of the misdiagnosis. She is believed to be one of many individuals who are likely to have also been affected.

If you wish to discuss your diagnosis and have received a letter from Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trusts –  please contact Charles Derham on 02393552153 or by email on charles@remedylaw.co.uk