Gestational diabetes

​​​​​​​Emergency

If any of the following are suspected, seek emergency medical advice or refer the patient to the emergency department (via ambulance if necessary)

  • Acute severe hyperglycaemia or hypoglycaemia requiring immediate assistance
  • Diabetic ketoacidosis
  • Gestational diabetes with severe vomiting​

When public outpatient services are not routinely provided

  • Nil

Criteria to access public outpatient services

CategoryCriteria
Category 1
Recommended to be seen within 30 calendar days.

Gestational diabetes mellitus, or overt diabetes first recognised during pregnancy

      Notes:

  1. For optimum care, patient should be seen within
    1 week
  2. Overt diabetes first recognised during pregnancy requires more rapid assessment
  3. Refer to type 1 diabetes state-wide referral criteria, type 2 diabetes state-wide referral criteria, and maternity state-wide referral criteria for more information​
​Category 2
Recommended to be seen within 90 calendar days

​​Nil​

Category 3
Recommended to be seen within 365 calendar days.

​Nil


Information to include within a referral

Required

  • Reason for referral
  • Details of the presenting condition, including symptoms and their duration, and date of diabetes diagnosis
  • Patient health summary (such as relevant medical history, relevant investigations, current medications and dosages, immunisations, allergies and/or adverse reactions), including specifically:
    • Gestational age
    • Obstetric history (including risk factors)
    • Pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI)
    • Presence of diabetic complications
    • Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)
    • Fasting blood glucose level (BGL)
    • HbA1c
    • Recent pathology or biochemistry​

If available

  • History of gestational diabetes mellitus (if so, previous management)
  • Current blood glucose level and management (self-monitoring of blood glucose; SMBG, or continuous glucose monitoring ambulatory glucose profile; CGM AGP)
  • Fetal ultrasound​

​Important information for referring health professionals

If there is a change to a patient’s condition while waiting for their appointment, referring health professionals may further investigate and manage the situation, or send an updated referral to the outpatient service. Where there are significant concerns about a patient's condition, referring health professionals may check HealthPathways for urgent/same day advice or contact the relevant clinical team. 

Current as at: Monday 23 March 2026
Contact page owner: System Purchasing