Join the 'Gestational Diabetes' group to help and get support from people like you. How it works

Gestational Diabetes Blog

Blog (13)

Fatty Diet Before Pregnancy Linked to Gestational Diabetes

Posted 31 Jan 2012 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, Jan. 31 – A pre-pregnancy diet high in animal fat increases the risk that moms-to-be will develop gestational diabetes, a new study says. "Our findings indicate that women who reduce the proportion of animal fat and cholesterol in their diets before pregnancy may lower their risk for gestational diabetes during pregnancy," senior author Dr. Cuilin Zhang, of the epidemiology branch at the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, said in an NIH news release. Researchers analyzed data from more than 13,000 women in the U.S. Nurses' Health Study II. The women were ages 22 to 45 when they enrolled in the study and provided information every few years about their health and lifestyle habits, such as the kinds of foods they ate. About 6 percent said they had been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, a form of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy. Gestational ... Read more

Related support groups: Gestational Diabetes

Mom's Poverty, Diabetes Might Raise ADHD Risk in Kids

Posted 2 Jan 2012 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Jan. 2 – New research suggests that the combination of poverty and having diabetes during pregnancy significantly raises the risk of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a woman's offspring. Children born to such moms are as much as 14 times more likely to have ADHD by the age of 6, the study found. ADHD is a behavioral disorder characterized by difficulty focusing, impulsive behaviors and hyperactivity. A report on the finding appears in the January issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. The new study included 212 children. Of these, 115 had "low socioeconomic status" (lower-income) moms, moms with gestational diabetes (arising in pregnancy), or both. Ninety-seven children had neither. Researchers evaluated these children for the signs and symptoms of ADHD when they were aged 3 or 4, and again at age 6. Moms who had either gestational ... Read more

Hormonal Disorder Linked to Pregnancy Complications: Study

Posted 14 Oct 2011 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, Oct. 14 – A common hormonal disorder among women known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) seems to be associated with an increased risk for pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia, diabetes and premature birth, a new study indicates. PCOS affects between 5 percent and 15 percent of women of reproductive age, according to background information in the study published in the Oct. 13 online edition of BMJ. Symptoms include irregular periods, ovulation problems, weight gain and excessive hair growth, and women with the disorder typically have small cysts on their ovaries. In the study, Swedish researchers compared just under 3,800 births among women with PCOS with nearly 1.2 million births among women without the condition, and found that women with PCOS were more likely to be obese and to use assisted reproductive technology. Women with PCOS were 45 percent more likely to ... Read more

Health Tip: Gestational Diabetes May Endanger Mother and Baby

Posted 29 Sep 2011 by Drugs.com

-- Gestational diabetes occurs when blood sugar levels become abnormally high during pregnancy. The Womenshealth.gov website says gestational diabetes increases the risk of these complications: Having a premature delivery. Developing preeclampsia, which causes high blood pressure during pregnancy. Requiring a Cesarean delivery. Having a very large baby, which can make delivery difficult. Development in the baby of jaundice, breathing problems or low blood sugar. Read more

Related support groups: Gestational Diabetes

HHS: Insurers Must Pay for Birth Control for Women

Posted 1 Aug 2011 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Aug. 1 – Beginning Aug. 1, 2012, women in the United States will have their birth control covered by insurance companies, free of co-pays, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Monday. "Most private health care plans, including the private health care plan available to members of Congress, already include most of these services, including contraception. Family planning is something that keeps women healthy, and it was an important piece of today's announcement," Stephanie Cutter, a White House advisor, told ABC News Monday. The move to make contraception free to women is one of eight new measures aimed at providing "preventive health services" to women, the HHS said. They follow on recommendations from a report issued July 19 by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), which advises the federal government. The new initiatives are based on those recommendations and ... Read more

Gestational Diabetes Predictable Before Pregnancy, Experts Say

Posted 27 May 2011 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, May 27 – Whether or not a woman will develop diabetes during pregnancy can be predicted up to seven years before she even conceives, new research suggests. In the study of 580 ethnically diverse women, investigators found that routine evaluations of blood sugar and body weight – long before pregnancy – could help determine those at greater risk for the condition, according to the report published in the May 26 online edition of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. Gestational diabetes mellitus is a complication of pregnancy that causes glucose intolerance and can increase the risk for preterm delivery and cesarean sections. This condition, which occurs in as many as 7 percent of pregnancies in the United States, can also lead to health issues for the affected babies later in life, such as obesity, diabetes and metabolic disease. In conducting the study, ... Read more

Related support groups: Gestational Diabetes

Losing Baby Weight Cuts Odds of Pregnancy-Linked Diabetes

Posted 24 May 2011 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, May 23 – Women who gained 18 or more pounds after their first baby was born are more than three times more likely to develop gestational diabetes during their second pregnancy, according to new research. On the bright side, the study, published in the May 23 online issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology, also found that women who were able to shed six or more pounds between babies cut their risk of the condition by 50 percent. Gestational diabetes, a condition that occurs during pregnancy, can cause serious complications in the final weeks of pregnancy, birth and right after a baby is born. Research shows that women who have had the condition during one pregnancy have a greater chance of developing the condition again. Excess weight gain before or during pregnancy also boosts a woman's risk. But women who trim extra pounds after the birth of a baby could significantly reduce their ... Read more

Related support groups: Gestational Diabetes

Study Finds Bariatric Surgery Lowers Gestational Diabetes Risk

Posted 9 Sep 2010 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, Sept. 9 – Obese women who have weight loss surgery before they get pregnant are three times less likely to develop gestational diabetes and are also less likely to require a cesarean section, a new study finds. Weight loss (bariatric) surgery limits the amount of food a person can consume or digest. U.S. researchers compared rates of gestational diabetes and related outcomes such as cesarean delivery among 346 obese women who had bariatric surgery before pregnancy and 354 obese women who had bariatric surgery after delivery. Most of the women in the study had a gastric bypass operation, with some opting for an adjustable band procedure. Rates of gestational diabetes were 8 percent for those who had the surgery before pregnancy and 27 percent for those who had the surgery after delivery. Rates of cesarean delivery were 28 percent and 43 percent, respectively. Makary and ... Read more

Related support groups: Gestational Diabetes

Study Urges Treatment for Even Mild Gestational Diabetes

Posted 16 Jul 2010 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 30 – Pregnant women who receive treatment for the mildest forms of gestational diabetes – including diet and exercise intervention, self-monitoring of blood glucose levels and possibly insulin therapy – are less likely to have serious birth complications or develop preeclampsia or high blood pressure during pregnancy, according to new research. It's been unclear whether treating borderline cases of gestational diabetes would make a difference in pregnancy outcomes. But the study's lead author, Dr. Mark Landon, professor and interim chair of obstetrics and gynecology at Ohio State University Medical Center, said that the finding "demonstrates that there's a significant clinical benefit to treating even the mildest form of gestational diabetes." Results of the study are published in the Oct. 1 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. "Now, we have two randomized, ... Read more

Related support groups: Gestational Diabetes

History of Pregnancy-Linked Diabetes Helps Predict Its Return

Posted 12 Jul 2010 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, July 12 – Women who had gestational diabetes in their first and second pregnancies are at greatly increased risk for the condition in future pregnancies, a new study finds. Gestational diabetes can lead to early delivery, cesarean section and type 2 diabetes in the mother, and may increase a child's risk of developing diabetes and obesity later in life. "Because of the silent nature of gestational diabetes, it is important to identify early those who are at risk and watch them closely during their prenatal care," lead author Dr. Darios Getahun, a research scientist/epidemiologist in the research and evaluation department at Kaiser Permanente Southern California, said in a Kaiser news release. In this study, researchers analyzed the medical history of more than 65,000 women who delivered babies at a Kaiser Permanente Southern California medical center between 1991 and 2008. ... Read more

Related support groups: Gestational Diabetes

Twice as Many Women May Soon Be Diagnosed With Gestational Diabetes

Posted 26 Feb 2010 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, Feb. 26 – New measurements for determining dangerous blood sugar levels for pregnant women and their unborn babies mean that two to three times as many women will be diagnosed with gestational diabetes, a new study suggests. Instead of 5 percent to 8 percent of pregnant women being diagnosed with gestational diabetes, the new measurements mean that more than 16 percent would be diagnosed with the condition, said study author Dr. Boyd Metzger, a professor of metabolism and nutrition at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine. The current gestational diabetes measurements are based on blood sugar levels that identified women at high risk for developing diabetes in the future, but didn't take into account other risks to the mother or baby, including increased risk of overweight babies with high insulin levels, early deliveries, cesarean deliveries, and potentially ... Read more

Related support groups: Gestational Diabetes

Excessive Weight Gain During Pregnancy Raises Gestational Diabetes Risk

Posted 22 Feb 2010 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Feb. 22 – Excessive weight gain during pregnancy, especially the first trimester, may increase a woman's risk of gestational diabetes, say U.S. researchers. Their three-year study included 345 pregnant women with gestational diabetes and 800 pregnant women without gestational diabetes, which is defined as glucose intolerance that typically occurs during the second or third trimester of pregnancy. After the researchers adjusted for a number of factors – age at delivery, previous births, pre-pregnancy body-mass index and race/ethnicity – they found that women who gained more weight during pregnancy than recommended by the U.S. Institute of Medicine were 50 percent more likely to develop gestational diabetes, compared to those whose weight gain was within or below the IOM recommendations. The link between pregnancy weight gain and gestational diabetes was strongest among ... Read more

Related support groups: Gestational Diabetes

Sugary Colas Tied to Gestational Diabetes

Posted 2 Dec 2009 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 2 – Women who drink five or more servings of sugar-sweetened cola per week before they conceive increase their risk of developing diabetes during pregnancy, a new study indicates. "Previous studies have shown an association with other chronic metabolic problems," said study author Dr. Liwei Chen, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, in New Orleans. "This is the first to show an increased risk among pregnant women." Gestational diabetes, known as glucose intolerance during pregnancy, is one of the most common complications of pregnancy. It increases the chances of lifelong diabetes for the woman and also can have permanent effects on the unborn child, Chen said. The report appears in the December issue of Diabetes Care. "Other studies suggest that babies born to women who are diabetic during pregnancy have higher ... Read more

Related support groups: Gestational Diabetes

Ask a Question

Further Information

Related Condition Support Groups

Diabetes Mellitus

Related Drug Support Groups

Novolin R, Novolin N, Humulin R, Humulin N, Novolin 70/30, insulin regular, Humulin N Pen, Insulin Pork Mix, Novolin R PenFill, view more... Novolin R Innolet, Iletin NPH, ReliOn/Novolin 70/30, Novolin N Innolet, Novolin N PenFill, Humulin 70/30, Iletin II Lente Pork, Iletin Lente, Humulin 70/30 Pen, ReliOn/Novolin R, ReliOn/Novolin N, Novolin 70/30 PenFill, Novolin 70/30 Innolet, Insulin Lente Pork, Humulin 50/50, Iletin II NPH Pork, Lente Iletin II, Humulin U, insulin zinc extended, insulin zinc, insulin isophane/insulin regular, Iletin II Regular Pork, Velosulin BR, insulin isophane, Humulin L, Insulin Purified NPH Pork, Humulin R (Concentrated), Iletin Regular, Novolin L