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Home / Gestational diabetes
Reproductive health — complete topic guide

Gestational diabetes

Turn this presentation into an 11-minute OSCE performance: focused assessment, prioritized differential, targeted examination and investigations, immediate management, communication, disposition and safety-netting.

What you must demonstrate

  • Pregnancy-focused history
  • Sensitive sexual and reproductive history
  • Recognize time-critical obstetric emergencies
  • Shared decision-making
  • Trauma-informed communication
Do not miss: Ectopic pregnancy · Severe preeclampsia · Postpartum hemorrhage · Sepsis · Ovarian torsion · Sexual violence or coercion

11-minute performance map

0:00–0:45

1. Opening and immediate safety

Introduce yourself, confirm identity, explain the task, obtain consent and identify instability before routine questioning.

0:45–4:30

2. Focused assessment

Clarify onset, progression, severity, associated features, discriminating positives/negatives and the most relevant background risks.

4:30–6:30

3. Targeted examination

Perform only the examination maneuvers needed to assess severity, confirm localization and discriminate the leading diagnoses.

6:30–7:30

4. Synthesize

Give a one-sentence summary, leading diagnosis and two to four prioritized alternatives including the dangerous diagnosis you cannot miss.

7:30–8:40

5. Investigations

Choose tests that answer a specific diagnostic or safety question; state urgent tests first.

8:40–10:15

6. Immediate management

Treat instability, begin syndrome-specific care, consult early when needed and define disposition.

10:15–11:00

7. Communication and safety net

Explain the plan, check understanding, address concerns and state exact deterioration/return criteria.

Focused history prompts

Define the presentation

  • Onset, chronology, triggers and progression.
  • Severity and effect on function.
  • Associated symptoms that support the leading diagnosis.
  • Relevant negatives that reduce dangerous alternatives.

Risk context

  • Relevant past medical/surgical/obstetric/psychiatric history.
  • Medications, allergies and adherence.
  • Family, social, substance, travel/exposure or safeguarding factors as applicable.
  • Patient ideas, concerns, expectations and goals.

Dangerous alternatives to prioritize

  1. Ectopic pregnancy
  2. Severe preeclampsia
  3. Postpartum hemorrhage
  4. Sepsis
  5. Ovarian torsion
  6. Sexual violence or coercion

Targeted investigations

Pregnancy testing and gestational age when relevant

CBC, blood group/Rh and type/screen for significant bleeding

Urinalysis/STI testing or targeted microbiology when indicated

Pelvic ultrasound and obstetric/gynecologic imaging according to urgency

Immediate management and disposition

  1. Prioritize maternal hemodynamic stability and time-critical obstetric/gynecologic emergencies.
  2. Use pregnancy-safe investigations/treatments when relevant.
  3. Obtain early obstetric/gynecologic consultation for ectopic pregnancy, torsion, severe preeclampsia, hemorrhage or sepsis.
  4. Use shared decision-making and trauma-informed communication.
High-yield closing sentence: “I would reassess after the initial intervention, escalate if there is deterioration, explain the plan in plain language, confirm understanding and give specific safety-net instructions.”

Related complete stations

11 minutes

First-trimester pain and bleeding

Recognize ectopic pregnancy and prioritize hemodynamic safety.

11 minutes

Postpartum low mood and unusual beliefs

Recognize postpartum psychosis and protect parent and infant.

11 minutes

Contraception counselling

Match contraception to goals, contraindications and preferences without coercion.