Maternal & Newborn Atlas
About
Menu

Diabetes testing after gestational diabetes

A follow-up check after birth for type 2 diabetes in a woman who had gestational diabetes. A large 2020 review found that women who had gestational diabetes were much more likely than other women to develop type 2 diabetes. This page records that risk. It does not say which test to use or when.

  • Intervention
  • In this atlas

Overview

Technical summary

The rationale recorded here is the 2020 BMJ meta-analysis of 20 observational studies: relative risk of type 2 diabetes 9.51 (95% CI 7.14 to 12.67) in women with previous gestational diabetes against controls, with cumulative incidence of 9.91%, 15.58% and 16.46% in the white, predominantly non-white and mixed-ethnicity subgroups and an authors' conclusion about the importance of intervening early after pregnancy. No guideline recommendation on the test, its timing or its method, and no trial of testing, was read, so this record states none. It is filed as a test, as the closest subtype, and links to gestational diabetes and to the core diabetes record.

About this intervention

Type
Test
Mechanism
Not reported

Claims and evidence

Context Women with a history of gestational diabetes and healthy controls, 2020 meta-analysis of 20 studies

Recipient
Maternal
Population
Women with a history of gestational diabetes (67,956 women) and controls (1,264,417), in 20 observational studies with a group of women with gestational diabetes and a control group, postpartum follow-up of at least 12 months, and an incident physician-based diagnosis of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes had to be reported as its own outcome, not combined with impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance.
Care setting
Not stated in the PubMed abstract
Geography
Not stated in the PubMed abstract (studies published in English, conducted on humans)
Life stage
After the pregnancy with gestational diabetes, with follow-up of at least 12 months
Gestational age
Not reported
Postnatal age
Not reported
Follow-up
At least 12 months after birth; the abstract gives no single follow-up time for the pooled figures
Eligibility: 1 inclusion criterion; 1 exclusion criterion
Included
  • Observational studies investigating progression to type 2 diabetes, with postpartum follow-up of at least 12 months and both a gestational diabetes group and a control group
Excluded
  • Studies that combined type 2 diabetes with impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance

  • Description Evidence synthesis Certainty not assessed

    A 2020 BMJ systematic review and meta-analysis of 20 observational studies (1 332 373 individuals: 67 956 women with gestational diabetes and 1 264 417 controls) found that the overall relative risk of type 2 diabetes was 9.51 (95% confidence interval 7.14 to 12.67, P<0.001) in women with previous gestational diabetes compared with healthy controls. Among populations of women with previous gestational diabetes, cumulative incidence of type 2 diabetes was 9.91% (95% CI 9.39% to 10.42%) in a white population, 15.58% (13.30% to 17.86%) in a predominantly non-white population and 16.46% (16.16% to 16.77%) in populations of mixed ethnicity; the differences between these subgroups were not statistically significant. The authors conclude that women with a history of gestational diabetes appear to have a nearly 10-fold higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those with a normoglycaemic pregnancy.

    Applies to Maternal
    • Women with a history of gestational diabetes (67,956 women) and controls (1,264,417), in 20 observational studies with a group of women with gestational diabetes and a control group, postpartum follow-up of at least 12 months, and an incident physician-based diagnosis of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes had to be reported as its own outcome, not combined with impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance.
    • Not stated in the PubMed abstract
    • Not stated in the PubMed abstract (studies published in English, conducted on humans)
    • After the pregnancy with gestational diabetes, with follow-up of at least 12 months
    • Gestational age Not reported
    • Postnatal age Not reported
    Follow-up At least 12 months after birth; the abstract gives no single follow-up time for the pooled figures
    Certainty method
    Not assessed
    Limitations
    These are results from observational studies. The abstract gives no single follow-up time for the cumulative incidence figures; included studies had to follow women for at least 12 months after birth. The paper reports the risk of progression, not whether testing after gestational diabetes changes outcomes, and no trial or guideline on testing was read for this record. Only the PubMed abstract was read; the PMC copy is under a non-commercial licence and was not used.
    Last checked
    2026-10-15
    Next evidence check due
    Not scheduled
    Sources and citations (8)

    1. Supports Progression to type 2 diabetes in women with a known history of gestational diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis

      Publication · BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · Edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15. The full text and the version of record were not read. The PMC copy (PMC7218708) is under a non-commercial licence and was not used. · Published 2020-05-13 · DOI: 10.1136/bmj.m1361 · PMID: 32404325 · PMCID: PMC7218708

      Locator
      Abstract, RESULTS, sentence 1
      How it applies
      PubMed abstract of the BMJ 2020 meta-analysis.
      Retrieved
      Source effective date
      Not reported
      Source state
      Current
      Snapshot hash
      9b96b1be1072dc860f9dd8c3ee248c4a71c5fc56eaed031e2d326bda31789900
      Reuse basis
      PubMed record fetched through NCBI E-utilities. Only the hash of the bytes is kept, because publisher copyright may apply to the abstract (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/disclaimer/). Short factual quotations under 25 words, with the citation.

    2. Supports Progression to type 2 diabetes in women with a known history of gestational diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis

      Publication · BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · Edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15. The full text and the version of record were not read. The PMC copy (PMC7218708) is under a non-commercial licence and was not used. · Published 2020-05-13 · DOI: 10.1136/bmj.m1361 · PMID: 32404325 · PMCID: PMC7218708

      Locator
      Abstract, RESULTS, sentence 6, fragment 1 of 2
      How it applies
      PubMed abstract.
      Retrieved
      Source effective date
      Not reported
      Source state
      Current
      Snapshot hash
      9b96b1be1072dc860f9dd8c3ee248c4a71c5fc56eaed031e2d326bda31789900
      Reuse basis
      PubMed record fetched through NCBI E-utilities. Only the hash of the bytes is kept, because publisher copyright may apply to the abstract (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/disclaimer/). Short factual quotations under 25 words, with the citation.

    3. Supports Progression to type 2 diabetes in women with a known history of gestational diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis

      Publication · BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · Edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15. The full text and the version of record were not read. The PMC copy (PMC7218708) is under a non-commercial licence and was not used. · Published 2020-05-13 · DOI: 10.1136/bmj.m1361 · PMID: 32404325 · PMCID: PMC7218708

      Locator
      Abstract, RESULTS, sentence 6, fragment 2 of 2
      How it applies
      PubMed abstract.
      Retrieved
      Source effective date
      Not reported
      Source state
      Current
      Snapshot hash
      9b96b1be1072dc860f9dd8c3ee248c4a71c5fc56eaed031e2d326bda31789900
      Reuse basis
      PubMed record fetched through NCBI E-utilities. Only the hash of the bytes is kept, because publisher copyright may apply to the abstract (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/disclaimer/). Short factual quotations under 25 words, with the citation.

    4. Supports Progression to type 2 diabetes in women with a known history of gestational diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis

      Publication · BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · Edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15. The full text and the version of record were not read. The PMC copy (PMC7218708) is under a non-commercial licence and was not used. · Published 2020-05-13 · DOI: 10.1136/bmj.m1361 · PMID: 32404325 · PMCID: PMC7218708

      Locator
      Abstract, RESULTS, sentence 7, fragment 1 of 2
      How it applies
      PubMed abstract.
      Retrieved
      Source effective date
      Not reported
      Source state
      Current
      Snapshot hash
      9b96b1be1072dc860f9dd8c3ee248c4a71c5fc56eaed031e2d326bda31789900
      Reuse basis
      PubMed record fetched through NCBI E-utilities. Only the hash of the bytes is kept, because publisher copyright may apply to the abstract (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/disclaimer/). Short factual quotations under 25 words, with the citation.

    5. Supports Progression to type 2 diabetes in women with a known history of gestational diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis

      Publication · BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · Edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15. The full text and the version of record were not read. The PMC copy (PMC7218708) is under a non-commercial licence and was not used. · Published 2020-05-13 · DOI: 10.1136/bmj.m1361 · PMID: 32404325 · PMCID: PMC7218708

      Locator
      Abstract, RESULTS, sentence 7, fragment 2 of 2
      How it applies
      PubMed abstract.
      Retrieved
      Source effective date
      Not reported
      Source state
      Current
      Snapshot hash
      9b96b1be1072dc860f9dd8c3ee248c4a71c5fc56eaed031e2d326bda31789900
      Reuse basis
      PubMed record fetched through NCBI E-utilities. Only the hash of the bytes is kept, because publisher copyright may apply to the abstract (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/disclaimer/). Short factual quotations under 25 words, with the citation.

    6. Supports Progression to type 2 diabetes in women with a known history of gestational diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis

      Publication · BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · Edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15. The full text and the version of record were not read. The PMC copy (PMC7218708) is under a non-commercial licence and was not used. · Published 2020-05-13 · DOI: 10.1136/bmj.m1361 · PMID: 32404325 · PMCID: PMC7218708

      Locator
      Abstract, RESULTS, sentence 8
      How it applies
      PubMed abstract.
      Retrieved
      Source effective date
      Not reported
      Source state
      Current
      Snapshot hash
      9b96b1be1072dc860f9dd8c3ee248c4a71c5fc56eaed031e2d326bda31789900
      Reuse basis
      PubMed record fetched through NCBI E-utilities. Only the hash of the bytes is kept, because publisher copyright may apply to the abstract (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/disclaimer/). Short factual quotations under 25 words, with the citation.

    7. Supports Progression to type 2 diabetes in women with a known history of gestational diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis

      Publication · BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · Edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15. The full text and the version of record were not read. The PMC copy (PMC7218708) is under a non-commercial licence and was not used. · Published 2020-05-13 · DOI: 10.1136/bmj.m1361 · PMID: 32404325 · PMCID: PMC7218708

      Locator
      Abstract, CONCLUSIONS, sentence 1
      How it applies
      PubMed abstract.
      Retrieved
      Source effective date
      Not reported
      Source state
      Current
      Snapshot hash
      9b96b1be1072dc860f9dd8c3ee248c4a71c5fc56eaed031e2d326bda31789900
      Reuse basis
      PubMed record fetched through NCBI E-utilities. Only the hash of the bytes is kept, because publisher copyright may apply to the abstract (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/disclaimer/). Short factual quotations under 25 words, with the citation.

    8. Background Progression to type 2 diabetes in women with a known history of gestational diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis

      Publication · BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · Edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15. The full text and the version of record were not read. The PMC copy (PMC7218708) is under a non-commercial licence and was not used. · Published 2020-05-13 · DOI: 10.1136/bmj.m1361 · PMID: 32404325 · PMCID: PMC7218708

      Locator
      Abstract, ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES, sentence 2, fragment 1 of 3
      How it applies
      Inclusion criteria.
      Retrieved
      Source effective date
      Not reported
      Source state
      Current
      Snapshot hash
      9b96b1be1072dc860f9dd8c3ee248c4a71c5fc56eaed031e2d326bda31789900
      Reuse basis
      PubMed record fetched through NCBI E-utilities. Only the hash of the bytes is kept, because publisher copyright may apply to the abstract (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/disclaimer/). Short factual quotations under 25 words, with the citation.

Record details

Record id
maternal:postpartum-diabetes-screening-after-gdm
Content hash
59896eba048a92a8e4040c3b65b62f221d1b99f970ff381436fcd844893735e2