Exposure to Gestational Diabetes and Development of Type II Diabetes or Impaired Glucose Tolerance

A recent study has shown that offspring who were exposed to gestational diabetes while in utero have a significantly higher chance of developing type II diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance. Participants were recruited from the Yale Pathophysiology of Type 2 diabetes in Youth Study. The new study found that 82.3% of their participants were not exposed to gestational diabetes while 17.7% were. At baseline all of the participants were considered to have normal glucose tolerance. At follow-up, 8.6% of the group that was not exposed to gestational diabetes developed either type II diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance. Compare this to 31.1% of the group who was exposed to gestational diabetes that developed either type II diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance. This study shows evidence that along with obesity, being exposed to gestational diabetes significantly increases the risk of developing health risks related to high glucose levels.

To read the full study please visit: http://www.diabetologia-journal.org/files/Holder.pdf