Gestational Diabetes

There's new information about the best way to treat gestational diabetes. That's diabetes that develops for the first time during pregnancy.

It happens in up to 14 percent of all pregnancies in the US. It's common to treat severe gestational diabetes with diet and exercise and then medications. Now, new research suggests treating the mild form is beneficial too. Treated women were half as likely to have an unusually large baby and less likely to get high blood pressure during pregnancy or have a C Section. The babies had fewer complications too.

Doctors think treating these women will also benefit the children later in life. Previous studies suggest larger babies whose mothers had gestational diabetes are more likely to be overweight and get a pre-diabetic condition when they grow older. Stay safe and healthy.