Louise Wolmarans

Dr. Louise Wolmarans


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

6Years (2021-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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JIJincy Immanuel
Jincy Immanuel
JFJeff Flack
Jeff Flack
VWVincent Wong
Vincent Wong
LYLili Yuen
Lili Yuen
CECarl Eagleton
Carl Eagleton
David SimmonsDavid Simmons
David Simmons
Background: To test the feasibility of benchmarking the care of women with pregnancies complicated by hyperglycaemia. Methods: A retrospective audit of volunteer diabetes services in Australia and New Zealand involving singleton pregnancies resulting in live births between 2014 and 2020. Ranges are shown and compared across services. Results: The audit included 10,144 pregnancies (gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) = 8696; type 1 diabetes (T1D) = 435; type 2 diabetes (T2D) = 1013) from 11 diabetes services. Among women with GDM, diet alone was used in 39.4% (ranging among centres from 28.8–57.3%), metformin alone in 18.8% (0.4–43.7%), and metformin and insulin in 10.1% (1.5–23.4%); when compared between sites, all p < 0.001. Birth was by elective caesarean in 12.1% (3.6–23.7%) or emergency caesarean in 9.5% (3.5–21.2%) (all p < 0.001). Preterm births (<37 weeks) ranged from 3.7% to 9.4% (p < 0.05), large for gestational age 10.3–26.7% (p < 0.001), admission to special care nursery 16.7–25.0% (p < 0.001), and neonatal hypoglycaemia (<2.6 mmol/L) 6.0–27.0% (p < 0.001). Many women with T1D and T2D had limited pregnancy planning including first trimester hyperglycaemia (HbA1c > 6.5% (48 mmol/mol)), 78.4% and 54.6%, respectively (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Management of maternal hyperglycaemia and pregnancy outcomes varied significantly. The maintenance and extension of this benchmarking service provides opportunities to identify policy and clinical approaches to improve pregnancy outcomes among women with hyperglycaemia in pregnancy.

LYLili Yuen
Lili Yuen
VWVincent Wong
Vincent Wong
LWLouise Wolmarans
Louise Wolmarans
David SimmonsDavid Simmons
David Simmons
Introduction: Australia, but not New Zealand (NZ), has adopted the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG) criteria to diagnose gestational diabetes (GDM). We compared pregnancy outcomes using these different diagnostic approaches. Method: Prospective data of women with GDM were collected from one NZ (NZ) and one Australian (Aus) hospital between 2007–2018. Aus screening criteria with 2-step risk-based 50 g Glucose Challenge Testing (GCT) followed by 75 g-oral glucose tolerance testing (OGTT): fasting ≥ 5.5, 2-h ≥ 8.0 mmol/L (ADIPS98) changed to a universal OGTT and fasting ≥5.1, 1-h ≥ 10, 2-h ≥ 8.5 mmol/L (IADPSG). NZ used GCT followed by OGTT with fasting ≥ 5.5, 2-h ≥ 9.0 mmol/L (NZSSD); in 2015 adopted a booking HbA1c (NZMOH). Primary outcome was a composite of macrosomia, perinatal death, preterm delivery, neonatal hypoglycaemia, and phototherapy. An Aus subset positive using NZSSD was also defined. RESULTS: The composite outcome odds ratio compared to IADPSG (1788 pregnancies) was higher for NZMOH (934 pregnancies) 2.227 (95%CI: 1.84–2.68), NZSSD (1344 pregnancies) 2.19 (1.83–2.61), and ADIPS98 (3452 pregnancies) 1.91 (1.66–2.20). Composite outcomes were similar between the Aus subset and NZ. Conclusions: The IADPSG diagnostic criteria were associated with the lowest rate of composite outcomes. Earlier NZ screening with HbA1c was not associated with a change in adverse pregnancy outcomes.