Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Psychological dimensions of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are not adequately studied and related research is limited. Procrastination as a personality trait is involved in many aspects of daily life; it has not been studied in relation to GDM.

Aim: To assess procrastination in insulin-treated women with GDM.

Patients-methods: A total of 15 women (mean age +S.D.: 33+4 years) diagnosed with GDM between 24–28 weeks of gestation (with a 75 g OGTT and the HAPO study criteria) and treated with >1 insulin injection/day. Over the last 4–5 weeks of pregnancy the women replied to Lay’s questionnaire (General Procrastination Scale; validated Greek version), consisting of 20 questions, with five answers each (from ‘never’ to ‘always’). The minimum possible score on the questionnaire is 20 and the maximum score is 100. Glycemic control of GDM was assessed by SMBG diaries covering a 1–3 week period. Glycemia was regarded as satisfactory with fasting glucose values <92 mg/dl and postprandial values <130 mg/dl (+1 hour) or <120 mg/dl (+2 hours). Glycemic control was considered as being satisfactory when 75% of measurements were within targets. Data were analyzed by plotting a ROC plot.

Results: Less than half of the women (n=7) had satisfactory glycemic control. Women with low procrastination score (<50) had worse glycemic control compared to those with high procrastination score (>50) (area under the ROC curve =0.82).

Discussion: The diagnosis of GDM creates tension and anxiety in pregnancy – especially in women treated with insulin – leading to increased obsessive-compulsiveness and stress. Procrastination is a self-defeating behavior, characterized by short-term benefits but long-term problems. This study shows that procrastination can, however, play a favorable role in the glycemic control of GDM.