Do Half of Gestational Diabetes Patients Get Type Two?

One panelist says 50% of patients who have gestational diabetes will develop type 2 diabetes. A co-host asked whether women who develop gestational diabetes also have a higher risk for type 2 diabetes and whether the history is predictive. The reply was yes.

A co-host asked about studies that would randomize women who develop gestational diabetes to one intervention versus another to delay or avoid type 2 diabetes, and said such a study would take a long time so the answer is almost assuredly no. One panelist says the recommendation is frequent follow-up for diabetes screening and advice on any lifestyle changes that would impact the risk of type 2 diabetes. A healthier diet, appropriate body weight, and regular exercise are very important. Counseling on diet, body weight, and exercise is even more critical for people with a history of gestational diabetes so they can decrease the risk.

Gestational diabetes is treated as a signal for later type 2 diabetes. The next step named in the exchange is screening and lifestyle counseling rather than a finished trial of one aggressive plan against another.