"Even Mild Untreated Gestational Diabetes Is Linked To Later Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes" -Shari Roan
Women with even mild cases of untreated gestational diabetes have a higher risk of developing prediabetes or type 2 diabetes later in life, research suggests. The study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, also found that their children had a higher risk of being overweight or obese compared with children of mothers who did not have gestational diabetes. The research sheds some light on a significant problem facing reproductive-age women in the United States and their offspring. The new study also suggests that even exposure to mild gestational diabetes appears to increase the risk of excessive body weight in children. While that risk was small, it’s likely clinically significant, said Caroline Messer, MD, assistant clinical professor of medicine, endocrinology, diabetes and bone disease at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, who was not involved in the study. “I think the message from this study is to be very careful about watching the children born to mothers with gestational diabetes, screening them with hemoglobin A1C tests, and making sure they are on our radar,” she added.
- Caroline K. Messer, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor, Medicine, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Bone Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai