Gestational Diabetes After Birth: Postpartum Screening and Follow-up
The ADA says to be tested 4 to 12 weeks after birth with a 75-gram glucose tolerance test, and then screened for type 2 diabetes or prediabetes every 1 to 3 years for life. Gestational diabetes usually goes away after birth, but the chance of type 2 diabetes later is high.
The schedule
| When | What | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 4 to 12 weeks after birth | 75 g oral glucose tolerance test, read with non-pregnancy criteria | ADA Rec 15.30 |
| If that test is not possible | A1C at 6 to 12 months postpartum may be considered | ADA Section 15 |
| Then, for life | Screening for type 2 diabetes or prediabetes every 1 to 3 years | ADA Rec 15.31 |
How to read the result
The test uses the usual non-pregnancy ranges: a 2-hour value of 140 to 199 mg/dL (7.8 to 11.0 mmol/L) is the prediabetes range and 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) or higher is the diabetes range; a fasting value of 100 to 125 mg/dL is prediabetes and 126 mg/dL or higher is diabetes (ADA 2026, Section 2). Your clinician interprets it and may repeat it. See glucose tolerance test for how it works.
Why the follow-up matters
The ADA says the lifetime risk of type 2 diabetes after gestational diabetes is about 50 to 60 percent, with a risk of about 20 percent at ten years. Finding prediabetes early gives you a chance to act. The CDC-recognized Diabetes Prevention Program is open to people with a history of gestational diabetes.
What helps
- Keep the appointments. Put the 4 to 12 week test and a yearly reminder in your calendar.
- Tell every new clinician you had gestational diabetes, and your next pregnancy care team too. The ADA suggests testing earlier in a later pregnancy.
- Be active. The ADA suggests at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week postpartum for generally healthy people.
- Check your risk with the prediabetes risk test.
Your child’s doctor should also know. The NIDDK says children of people who had gestational diabetes are more likely to develop obesity or type 2 diabetes later.
Frequently asked questions
Does gestational diabetes go away after birth?
It usually does, per the NIDDK, but it is not the end of the story. The ADA says people with gestational diabetes have about a 10-fold higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than people without it, so follow-up testing matters.
When should I be tested after giving birth?
The ADA (Recommendation 15.30) says to screen at 4 to 12 weeks postpartum with a 75-gram oral glucose tolerance test using non-pregnancy criteria. If you cannot or will not take that test, an A1C at 6 to 12 months postpartum may be considered.
Why is the glucose tolerance test used and not A1C?
The ADA prefers the glucose tolerance test because pregnancy-related red blood cell turnover and blood loss can make an A1C falsely low in the early postpartum period.
How often should I be tested after that?
The ADA (Recommendation 15.31) recommends lifelong screening for type 2 diabetes or prediabetes every 1 to 3 years.
Does breastfeeding matter?
The ADA recommends breastfeeding for people with a history of gestational diabetes, noting benefits that include a lower risk of type 2 diabetes later in life. Talk with your care team about your own circumstances.
Information only, not medical advice. Your care team may set different targets for you, and only a lab test ordered by a clinician can diagnose diabetes or prediabetes. See our medical disclaimer.
Sources
- ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026, Section 15: Management of Diabetes in Pregnancy
- ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026, Section 2: Diagnosis and Classification
- NIDDK: Gestational Diabetes (reviewed May 2017)
- ACOG Practice Bulletin 190: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (2018; cut-offs as quoted in ADA Standards 2026, Section 2)
Last reviewed: by the Diabetes Blogs editorial team. Information only, not medical advice.
