Gestational Diabetes and Steps to Reduce Risks for Women and Their Children

Most women with gestational diabetes know that taking steps to manage the disease during pregnancy is critical for the health of both mother and child. What many women don't realize is that those steps need to continue even after the baby is born.

Women who have had gestational diabetes are at increased risk for developing diabetes in the future, and their child is also at increased risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) at the National Institutes of Health are teaming up this May to raise awareness of these risks as part of the National Diabetes Education Program's (NDEP's) "It's Never Too Early...to Prevent Diabetes" campaign.

"As we celebrate Mother's Day and National Women's Health Week May 9 through 15, we want all mothers with a history of gestational diabetes to be aware of their long-term health risks, the health risks faced by their children, and steps they can take to keep themselves and their families healthy," said Griffin P. Rodgers, M.D., director of the NIDDK.

Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy and affects about 7 percent of all U.S. pregnancies, or about 200,000 pregnancies each year. Women who have had gestational diabetes should be re-tested for diabetes six to 12 weeks after the baby is born, and at least every three years after that.

"Many women think that if the follow-up test after the baby is born shows no signs of diabetes, they are in the clear, but that's not the case," said Vivian Pinn, M.D., director of the ORWH. "What many of these moms don't know is that they have a 40 percent to 60 percent chance of developing diabetes as early as five to 10 years after their baby is born. These women need to know this information and they need to take steps to lower their risk for developing diabetes."

Women with a history of gestational diabetes can do a lot to prevent or delay the risk of developing diabetes. In addition to screening for diabetes, it is important for women to reach and maintain a healthy weight by making healthy food choices and being active for at least 30 minutes, 5 days a week. These action steps are good for the entire family and help mom and baby manage their risks for developing diabetes. Breastfeeding also helps protect against childhood obesity, which is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. For mom, breastfeeding can also promote an earlier return to pre-pregnancy weight.

Gestational diabetes occurs more frequently among women with a family history of diabetes; overweight and obese women; and Hispanic/Latina, African-American, American Indian, Asian, Pacific Islander and Alaska Native women. Women who have had gestational diabetes should be screened regularly for diabetes and pre-diabetes, a condition where blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Follow-up screening usually consists of a simple blood test.