UNiCoRN

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    UNiCoRN: UNderstanding the Causes of hyperglycaemia in pRegNancy

  • IRAS ID

    303762

  • Contact name

    Sara Louise White

  • Contact email

    sara.white@kcl.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    King's College London

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    3 years, 11 months, 31 days

  • Research summary

    Diabetes in pregnancy (gestational diabetes) is increasing. Women of South Asian ethnicity are particularly affected. This common disorder which is associated with high blood glucose increases the risk of several pregnancy complications, most of which relate to the baby growing too large, and include difficulties during labour, and rarely, stillbirth. Also, there is an increased chance of the mother developing lifelong type 2 diabetes. Health professionals view gestational diabetes as one condition, and all women who develop it receive the same treatment approach. However, evidence is emerging which suggests that gestational diabetes is actually a group of different disorders, all of which lead to high blood glucose, but which might benefit from different treatments and lead to different outcomes (e.g. different risk of problems in pregnancy or after pregnancy). This study aims to unpick the different types of gestational diabetes including exploring whether types of gestational diabetes differ by ethnicity by collecting information about each pregnancy, glucose measures, and timed blood and other samples such as urine. If successful we will work towards being able to treat each woman (regardless of ethnicity) according to their type of diabetes, as well as preventing type 2 diabetes after pregnancy.

  • REC name

    Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds East Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    22/YH/0274

  • Date of REC Opinion

    10 Jan 2023

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion