The Kaiser Permanente Hawaii Center for Health Research is recruiting participants for a new study to improve screening for gestational diabetes through a better understanding of blood glucose levels throughout pregnancy. The study is supported by the National Institute of Health’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Gestational diabetes, or diabetes that is diagnosed for the first time while the person is pregnant, is usually diagnosed between the 24th and 28th weeks of pregnancy, which may be too late to counteract some long-lasting harm to the pregnant person and child.

The study, known as the Glycemic Observation and Metabolic Outcomes in Mothers and Offspring study, or GO MOMs, follows previous NIH studies that found that people with elevated blood glucose during pregnancy — even if not high enough to qualify as gestational diabetes — are significantly more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes after their pregnancy. Previous research has also indicated that children born to people with elevated blood glucose during pregnancy are more likely to become obese or have impaired glucose metabolism later in life.

The study will use continuous glucose monitoring technology to map blood glucose levels throughout pregnancy. The study hopes to determine the timing and approach to future clinical trials to understand how to screen for and treat elevated blood glucose in pregnancy, and whether the treatment will have any effect on children born years later.

GO MOMs will enroll approximately 2,150 people in their first trimester of pregnancy without diabetes from sites around the country, including Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, Northwestern University and the Massachusetts General Hospital. Those in their first trimester of pregnancy without diabetes, who are willing to use a continuous glucose monitoring device for 10 days at four times during their pregnancy, are eligible to participate in the study. Each person who successfully completes the study will be paid $550 for their participation. To learn more or to enroll, go to GoMomsStudy.org.