A recent study revealed that gestational diabetes is becoming far more common across the US.
The condition is a form of glucose intolerance that develops during pregnancy. It’s been associated with health risks for both babies and moms, including pre-eclampsia, pre-term birth, cardiac risks, diabetes, and obesity.
Using federal birth certificate data, researchers assessed each US first singleton birth from 2016-2024.
The results indicated rates for gestational diabetes spiked from 36% over that nine-year period from 58 to 79 cases per 1,000 births.
The increase was seen across every racial and ethnic group studied.
In 2024, the American Indian and Alaska Native women showed the highest rates, which was followed by Asian and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander women.
The senior author says, “The health of young adults has been persistently worsening — less healthful diets, less exercise, more obesity.”
Those trends are expected to drive a major rise in gestational diabetes.
Shah stated policy changes are required to be made to assist the US population, particularly pregnant women, access quality care and maintain healthy habits.
