Gestational diabetes is a form of high blood sugar that develops during pregnancy, usually in the second or third trimester, and resolves after delivery — though it significantly raises the risk of type 2 diabetes later in life for the mother and metabolic problems for the child. Managing blood glucose during pregnancy prevents complications including large-for-gestational-age babies and birth trauma.
What's actually going on in research
Metformin has been shown to control gestational diabetes blood sugar comparably to insulin in most settings with lower cost and no injections, and trials are clarifying its long-term safety for offspring. Prevention trials are testing whether dietary, lifestyle, and probiotic interventions in early pregnancy can prevent gestational diabetes in high-risk women. Long-term follow-up trials are tracking children born to mothers with gestational diabetes for metabolic health outcomes through childhood.
Metformin in pregnancy
Trials are clarifying the safety and effectiveness of metformin versus insulin for blood sugar control in gestational diabetes, including long-term follow-up of children exposed in utero.
Prevention interventions
Structured lifestyle programs, dietary counseling, and probiotic supplementation started early in pregnancy are being tested to prevent gestational diabetes in high-risk women.
Continuous glucose monitoring
Wearable glucose sensors that provide continuous readings are being tested during pregnancies affected by gestational diabetes for better glycemic control and pregnancy outcomes.
What to know before you search
Eligibility requires a gestational diabetes diagnosis by glucose challenge and tolerance testing, typically at 24–28 weeks, with blood sugar severity and gestational age criteria.
What types of trials are currently open
- Drug trials — Comparing insulin, metformin, and other glucose-lowering strategies in gestational diabetes management.
- Prevention trials — Testing dietary, exercise, probiotic, and lifestyle interventions to prevent gestational diabetes onset.
- Technology trials — Evaluating continuous glucose monitoring and closed-loop insulin delivery during pregnancy.
- Long-term outcomes studies — Tracking mothers and children after gestational diabetes for type 2 diabetes and metabolic health.
- Nutrition trials — Testing specific dietary patterns and carbohydrate targets for gestational diabetes blood sugar control.
Recently added Gestational Diabetes trials
Protective Effect of Lactation Against Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Subsequent Pregnancies: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common metabolic disorder of pregnancy associated with increased maternal and fetal morbidity. Lactation has been suggested to improve maternal glucose metabolism, enhance insulin sensitivity, and reduce the risk of future glucose intolerance. However, evidence regarding the protective effect of lactation on the development of GDM in subsequent pregnancies remains limited. This prospective observational cohort study aims to evaluate the association between lactation and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus and related pregnancy complications in women who conceive during the lactation period. Routine glycemic markers including fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, glycosuria, and 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results will be recorded. Ultrasonographic findings including fetal abdominal circumference percentile, estimated fetal weight percentile, and amniotic fluid index will also be assessed. The study will investigate whether lactation is associated with a reduced risk of GDM, fetal macrosomia, and polyhydramnios in subsequent pregnancies.
Natural Cervical Ripening to Prevent Pharmacological Induction of Labor - a Pilot Study.
As of today, around 25% of all vaginal births happen after induction of labor (IOL). The internal guidelines of the University Hospital Zurich currently recommend pregnant women with a non-insulin dependent gestational diabetes an IOL around term. One possibility to prevent an IOL and increase the chance for a spontaneous onset of birth is a ripening of the cervix by alternative methods in an outpatient setting. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of natural cervical ripening methods on the time interval between 37 weeks (beginning of the intervention) and the onset of spontaneous labor.
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