Study Favors Treating Gestational Diabetes

Treating even mild gestational diabetes can help the mother and baby, a study has found. This form of diabetes occurs during pregnancy. Usually it goes away afterward. The study looked at 958 women with mild cases of the condition. They were randomly assigned to receive treatment or not. Treatment included advice on diet to help control blood sugar. A small number of women needed insulin, too. The treated women gained an average of 5 pounds less than the others. They were only half as likely to have babies larger than 9 pounds. Fewer of them needed a cesarean section. They also were less likely to develop pre-eclampsia, a dangerous condition. The study appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. The Associated Press wrote about it October 1.