Treatment of Gestational Diabetes and Maternal Risk of Diabetes after Pregnancy

Objective: To compare postpartum glucose tolerance between women treated for gestational diabetes (GDM) and those not treated. Methods: Metabolic testing was performed at 3-months and 1-year postpartum in 599 women comprising the following gestational glucose tolerance groups: (I) normal glucose challenge test (GCT) and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in pregnancy; (II) abnormal GCT with normal OGTT; (III) gestational impaired glucose tolerance; (IV) mild untreated GDM; and (V) severe treated GDM. Results: Birthweight progressively increased across Groups I-IV, before falling steeply in treated GDM (p Conclusion: Treating GDM lowers birthweight but does not disrupt the association between gestational glycemia and maternal pre-diabetes/diabetes after pregnancy.