This is the first study to examine the race/ethnicity difference in the recurrence of gestational diabetes in the first-two or first-three pregnancies. Previous studies examined the recurrence of gestational diabetes in subsequent pregnancies without regard to their past gestational diabetes history (other than these two subsequent pregnancies.) This study shows that the magnitude of association of the recurrence risk of gestational diabetes in successive pregnancies varies depending on the number of successive pregnancies, and this risk differs by race/ethnicity.

"Clinicians should be aware and counsel potential pregnant women about their increased risk and that early detection and initiation of treatment is important because unrecognized or untreated gestational diabetes is likely to lead to adverse maternal and fetal outcomes," said Dr. Getahun. "Although maternal deaths are low, fetal and neonatal mortality remains much higher than in the general population."

This study is part of ongoing research at Kaiser Permanente to understand, prevent and treat gestational diabetes. A recent Kaiser Permanente study of 1,145 pregnant women found that women who gain excessive weight during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester, may increase their risk of developing diabetes later in their pregnancy. Another published Kaiser Permanente study of 16,000 women in Hawaii found that more than 10 percent of women of Chinese and Korean heritage may be at risk for developing gestational diabetes. Another published Kaiser Permanente study of 10,000 mother-child pairs showed that treating gestational diabetes during pregnancy can break the link between gestational diabetes and childhood obesity. That study showed, for the first time, that by treating women with gestational diabetes, the child's risk of becoming obese years later is significantly reduced.

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente