Table 1.

Current Guidelines for Postpartum Care of Women with GDM

	Recommended Testing Timeline and Method	Recommended Interventions	Offspring
American Diabetes Association1	6–12 weeks postpartum Screen women with GDM for persistent diabetes using 75g OGTT and non-pregnancy criteria If normal results, re-test every 1–3 years as part of lifelong screening, using any recommended glycemic test (hemoglobin A1C, fasting plasma glucose, or 75g OGTT)	Both metformin and intensive lifestyle intervention reduce progression of impaired glucose tolerance to diabetes Education should emphasize family planning	Offspring should be followed closely for development of obesity and/or glucose tolerance abnormalities Breastfeeding encouraged
Endocrine Society56	24–72 hours after delivery Fasting plasma glucose OR fasting self-monitored blood glucose 6–12 weeks postpartum 2-hour, 75-g OGTT If normal results, re-test “periodically as well as before future pregnancies”	Counseling on lifestyle measures, the need for future pregnancies to be planned, the importance of regular diabetes screening Blood glucose-lowering medication should be discontinued immediately after delivery unless overt diabetes is suspected	Child’s birth weight and mother’s GDM status should become part of child’s permanent medical record Breastfeeding encouraged
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists5	6–12 weeks postpartum. Fasting plasma glucose test OR a 75-g, two-hour oral glucose tolerance test If normal results, re-test every 3 years	Refer for preventive therapy