Gestational Diabetes News and Research

RSS

Gestational diabetes is diabetes that is found for the first time when a woman is pregnant. Out of every 100 pregnant women in the United States, three to eight get gestational diabetes. Diabetes means that your blood glucose (also called blood sugar) is too high. Your body uses glucose for energy. But too much glucose in your blood can be harmful. When you are pregnant, too much glucose is not good for your baby.

Gaining too little or too much weight in pregnancy affects birth outcomes

The review of 1.6 million pregnancies shows diverse weight gain impacts, stressing the urgency for updated guidelines to improve maternal and infant health.

24 Nov 2025

Study reveals how gestational diabetes disrupts the placenta at the molecular level

Gestational diabetes can cause a multitude of complications in the offspring, but to date, the reasons are incompletely understood.

18 Nov 2025

Maternal obesity raises childhood epilepsy and disability risks, new study shows

Higher maternal BMI before pregnancy is linked to increased risks of epilepsy and intellectual disability in young children, even after extensive adjustment for maternal and neonatal factors. Associations with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD disappear after full adjustment, highlighting the potential mediating role of perinatal complications.

17 Nov 2025

Dash diet cuts diabetes complications by targeting blood pressure kidney health and inflammation

The DASH diet supports metabolic health in people with diabetes by improving blood pressure, renal function, lipids, and modest glycemic markers while reducing risks linked to vascular and inflammatory pathways. Its broad nutrient-driven mechanisms also benefit related conditions such as neuropathy, PCOS, and retinopathy, making it a versatile tool for cardiometabolic care.

16 Nov 2025

WHO releases first global guidelines for managing diabetes during pregnancy

The World Health Organization (WHO) today released its first global guidelines for the management of diabetes during pregnancy, a condition affecting about one in six pregnancies – or 21 million women annually.

14 Nov 2025

Maternal type 1 diabetes confers a protective effect in children through epigenetic programming

Children with a family history of type 1 diabetes (T1D) have an increased risk of developing the disease.

6 Nov 2025

Baby's birthweight increases risk of cardiovascular disease in preeclamptic and hypertensive women

A new study shows that preeclamptic and hypertensive pregnant women's risk of getting cardiovascular disease is linked to their baby's birthweight.

21 Oct 2025

Physical activity linked to higher overnight glucose in pregnancy hyperglycemia

Research shows that more daytime movement in pregnant women with hyperglycemia can raise nighttime blood sugar, highlighting the need for further investigation.

20 Oct 2025

Preexisting hyperlipidemia in pregnancy linked to obstetric and early heart risks

Preexisting hyperlipidemia in pregnancy is associated with heightened risks of obstetric complications and early cardiovascular events in the first five-years postpartum, according to a new study being presented at ACC's Cardio-Obstetrics Essentials: Team-Based Management of Cardiovascular Disease and Pregnancy conference.

17 Oct 2025

How much caffeine is safe during pregnancy? New review finds no clear threshold

Caffeine's impact on pregnancy is nuanced; moderate consumption may not lead to major complications, but risks to fetal growth persist without a safe threshold.

10 Oct 2025

Depression during pregnancy raises risk of gestational diabetes

Findings indicate that antenatal depression increases the risk of gestational diabetes, underscoring the need for early intervention and lifestyle support.

8 Oct 2025

'Good' gut microbe found to support fetal growth and reduce pregnancy risks

Research led by the University of Cambridge has found the first clear evidence that the 'good' gut bacteria Bifidobacterium breve in pregnant mothers regulates the placenta's production of hormones critical for a healthy pregnancy.

6 Oct 2025

Myo-inositol fails to lower pregnancy risks in women with PCOS

Myo-inositol supplementation shows no significant benefits in preventing pregnancy complications for women with PCOS, according to a recent large-scale study.

30 Sep 2025

Maternal COVID-19 vaccination provides significant protection for mothers and newborns

An analysis of data from over 1.2 million pregnant individuals found that those who received a COVID-19 vaccination had a 58% lower risk of being infected with the virus, as well as a lower risk of experiencing a stillbirth or preterm birth, according to research presented during the American Academy of Pediatrics 2025 National Conference & Exhibition at the Colorado Convention Center from Sept. 26-30.

26 Sep 2025

"Light-touch" diabetes intervention can be successfully integrated into clinical workflows

This study tested whether a referral order inside the Epic electronic health record (EHR) could help primary care clinicians refer patients to community-based diabetes prevention programs (DPPs), an important public health strategy to reduce incident type 2 diabetes, and whether patients enrolled after referral.

23 Sep 2025

Gestational diabetes poses substantial cognitive dysfunction risks for both mothers and offspring

A new synthesis of global evidence finds that experiencing gestational diabetes during pregnancy is linked with a decline in intellectual function among mothers, and may increase the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.

15 Sep 2025

Common wearable devices could remotely monitor pregnancy-related health changes

A simple fitness tracker might hold the key to revolutionizing maternal healthcare. Scientists at Scripps Research have found preliminary evidence suggesting that common wearable devices such as the Apple Watch, Garmin and Fitbit could remotely monitor pregnancy-related health changes by tracking physiological patterns-like heart rate-that correlate with hormonal fluctuations.

11 Sep 2025

Folic acid fortification linked to tripled gestational diabetes rates in Australian study

Researchers in Australia found that after mandatory folic acid fortification, gestational diabetes rates tripled, maternal folate levels rose sharply, and placental hormone profiles shifted. The study links folate excess to increased GDM risk, highlighting the need to re-evaluate supplementation policies.

8 Sep 2025

How raspberry leaf tea reduces insulin surges from table sugar

Trial shows that raspberry leaf tea blunts sucrose-induced glucose and insulin surges, offering a natural strategy for moderating blood sugar without the side effects of pharmaceutical enzyme inhibitors.

2 Sep 2025

Metabolic health plays larger role than weight gain in pregnancy outcomes

Metabolic health before and during pregnancy may have a bigger influence on risks for mother and baby than simply controlling weight gain.

28 Aug 2025