Gestational Diabetes News and Research

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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.

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

Detecting diabetes risk by analyzing household data

New research to be presented at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna, Austria (September 15-19, 2025) shows that early detection of individuals at risk for diabetes is possible by analyzing the electronic records of people living within the same household for risk factors. The study is led by Dr Tainayah Thomas, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA, and colleagues.

18 Aug 2025

Pregnancy complications may signal early stroke risk

Experiencing complications during pregnancy is linked with a higher risk of stroke before age 50, according to a study published August 6, 2025, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

6 Aug 2025

Living in deprived neighborhoods linked to higher risk of gestational diabetes

New research from the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health showed that living in resource-poor neighborhoods may raise the risk of women developing diabetes during pregnancy, a condition with potential long-term effects on the health of both mother and child.

4 Aug 2025

Can your diet and health change your breast milk? Review uncovers the key maternal and birth factors

This review highlights how maternal, obstetrical, and neonatal factors influence the energy and macronutrient content of breast milk. The findings underscore significant variability in milk composition, with implications for tailored nutritional support in early life.

3 Aug 2025

Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy linked to lower breastfeeding rates

Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP) - like chronic or gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and eclampsia - are among the leading causes of maternal and infant death in the United States.

18 Jul 2025